A study of correlation between transhilar diameter and p pulmonale in copd patients.
BACKGROUND
Early diagnosis and therapy of Pulmonary hypertension in COPD patients may help in retardation of progression and amelioration of symptoms. This is an attempt to diagnose the disease from X-ray chest of COPD patients, so that invasive investigations can be avoided.


OBJECTIVE
(1) Measurement of transhilar diameter in Chest X-ray PA view of COPD patients and its importance in detection of pulmonary hyper-tension. (2) To study correlation between P pulmonale and transhilar diameter / hilar thoracic ratio.


METHODS
Prospective Clinical study.


METHODS
Institute of Chest Diseases, Medical College, Calicut.


METHODS
One year from September 2002 to August 2003.


METHODS
100 patients admitted to Institute of Chest Diseases with COPD and ECG evidence of P pulmonale and/or RVH were included. Chest X-rays was taken and the following diameters were measured. Transhilar diameter, hilar thoracic ratio, width of descending branch of (Rt) pulmonary artery and cardiothoracic ratio.


CONCLUSIONS
Chest X-ray can be used for identification of pulmonary hypertension in COPD patients. Positive correlation was seen between P pulmonale and hilar thoracic ratio. Positive correlation was also seen between P pulmonale and other parameters like smoking status, symptom duration, ECG evidence of RVH and negative correlation was seen with % predicted FEV(1).
Department Pulmonary Medicine, Institute of Chest Diseases, Medical College, Calicut, India.
C
C
Ravindran
Kv
K
Padmanabhan
Rejna
R
Sreedhar
Thorax. 1968 Jul;23(4):446-50
5664709
Invest Radiol. 1981 Mar-Apr;16(2):95-100
7216709
Tunis Med. 1993 Nov;71(11):505-8
8310540