title: Relationship between the airway wall area and asthma control score in moderate persistent asthma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the association between airway wall area and clinical asthma control, assessed by the Asthma Control Test (ACT).
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study evaluated 96 adults for asthma control ["at least well controlled" (ACT ≥ 20; n = 52) or "not well controlled" (ACT < 20; n = 44) and airway dimensions: luminal area (LA), wall area (WA) and WA%], obtained using automated dedicated software measurements from volumetric CT images. Results were analysed for segmental bronchi, subsegmental bronchi in the right upper lobe and basilar segments, both uncorrected and corrected for body surface area (BSA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  For all bronchi corrected for BSA, there was no correlation between airway wall area and ACT score. There was a weak but statistically significant correlation between uncorrected WA and ACT score (r = -0.203; P = 0.047); WA values were numerically higher in the "not well-controlled" versus the "at least well-controlled asthma" subgroups. For sub-segmental bronchi, there was a correlation between the ACT score and both WA/BSA (r = -0.204; P = 0.047) and WA (r = -0.249; P = 0.014), and for upper lobe bronchi, between the ACT score and WA (r = -0.207; P = 0.044).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated a correlation between subsegmental bronchial airway measurements and clinical control of asthma; this is probably a reflection of airway remodelling and structural changes in chronic poorly controlled asthma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Volumetric computed tomography offers new insights into bronchial morphology. • The relationship between current asthma control and airway wall abnormalities is assessed. • Some relationships between airway wall area and clinical control were demonstrated. • We observed less shape variation of bronchi in "not well-controlled" asthma patients.
authors.affiliation: Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UPRES EA 2363, Service de radiologie, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Avicenne, Bobigny, France. pierre-yves.brillet@avc.aphp.fr
authors.forename: Pierre-Yves
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Brillet
authors.forename: Philippe A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Grenier
authors.forename: Catalin I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Fetita
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beigelman-Aubry
authors.forename: Yahya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ould-Hmeidi
authors.forename: Margarete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ortner
authors.forename: Gaëlle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nachbaur
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Adamek
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chanez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056151:Airway Remodeling; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001830:Body Surface Area; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology*; D001995:Bronchography / Q000379:methods*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012984:Software; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*