title: Pulmonary function tests in ulcerative colitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pulmonary impairment in patients suffering ulcerative colitis (UC) has been suggested by several investigators using standard pulmonary function tests (PFTs). This changes in pulmonary function associated with minimal respiratory symptoms have been documented, especially in patients with active disease. The aim of this prospective study was to determine airway resistance and lung volumes in patients with UC who have no respiratory symptoms in comparisons to a healthy control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated a total of 30 patients with UC by means of spirometry, body plethysmography, and impulse oscillometry. The patients were not complaining of any pulmonary symptoms and did not present any history of previous respiratory diseases. As controls we examined 30 healthy subjects matched for gender, age, and smoking status. The relationship between PFT, lung volume, and airway resistance; and the activity, localization, and duration of the UC disease were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant difference between airway resistances (kPa/L/s) measured by body plethysmography in patients with UC and those of the controls (R5hz; 0.60 ± 0.44 vs. 0.39 ± 0.13; P < 0.001) and R20hz (0.37 ± 0.19 vs. 0.29 ± 0.1, P = 0.02). There were no correlation between PFT, airway resistance and site and scoring activity (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the lack of pulmonary symptoms, increased airway resistance was found in UC patients. We also have not found correlation between PFT, lung volume and airway resistance values and scoring of UC activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory Disease Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amra
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory Disease Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ghazal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ataabadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory Disease Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohamad Hassan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Emami
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Akbar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassanzadeh
authors.affiliation: Bamdad Respiratory Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Golshan
authors.affiliation: Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Forogh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Soltaninejad
keywords: Body plethysmography; impulse oscillometry; ulcerative colitis