title: Correlation between the degree of air trapping in chest HRCT and cardiopulmonary exercise test parameters: could HRCT be a predictor of disease severity?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine whether the degree of air trapping in high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of patients with histories of sulfur mustard gas exposure during suspended full expiration correlated with various parameters of the cardiopulmonary exercise test as the gold standard for assessment of pulmonary function.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this analytic study 75 male patients, each with a history of sulfur mustard gas exposure, were investigated. Each participant underwent an incremental cardiopulmonary exercise test, pulmonary function test and arterial oxygen saturation for hemoglobin measurement. For HRCT examination, both lungs were divided into three parts (upper, middle, and lower) and in each part images were separately observed from the involved area point of view (<25% ≤6/24; >25% ≥6/24).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 49.3% of the patients (37/75) had evidence of air trapping in over 25% of their lung segments. The mean age±SD in the patients with air trapping of =25% or <25% were 41.1±6.8 and 39.7±4.0 years, respectively (P=0.281). In our study there was no significant difference in pulmonary function test findings (FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC) between the two groups. There was no significant correlation with air trapping of =25% and any of the exercise test parameters. Also, no correlation was found between significant air trapping and exercise test findings in maximum exercise and anaerobic situations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No correlation was found between HRCT and cardiopulmonary exercise test findings. HRCT is neither pathognomic of the disease nor a good predictor of disease severity but it might be suggestive of mustard lung injuries.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. m.ghanei@bmsu.ac.ir
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghanei
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sheyacy
authors.forename: Mohammad Amin
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Abbasi
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ani
authors.forename: Jafar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aslani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000388:Air; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005080:Exercise Test; D045853:Exhalation; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000009:adverse effects; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D009151:Mustard Gas