title: Auscultation of Velcro Crackles is Associated With Usual Interstitial Pneumonia.
abstract: Auscultation of Velcro crackles has been proposed as a key finding in physical lung examination in patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), especially in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, no studies have been carried out to assess the association of Velcro crackles with other clinical variables.We evaluated a cohort of 132 patients, prospectively and consecutively included in our ILD diagnostic program at a tertiary referral center. All patients were auscultated during the physical examination. The patients were divided into 2 groups: "presence" or "nonpresence" of bilateral Velcro crackles.Of all patients assessed, 83 (63%) presented Velcro crackles in the respiratory auscultation. Patients with Velcro crackles usually had more frequently cough and dyspnea at the moment of diagnosis. Forced vital capacity (P = 0.002) and lung diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (P = 0.04) was lower in these patients. The ILD-GAP index was higher in the group with Velcro crackles (P = 0.01). All patients with usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) in high-resolution computed tomography and all patients with final IPF diagnosis presented Velcro crackles. In multivariate analysis, the presence of Velcro crackles was independently associated with an UIP pattern.In patients suspected of having ILD, the auscultation of Velcro crackles was associated with UIP, a possibility which must be taken into consideration in early ILD detection in primary care.
authors: From the Servei de Pneumologia, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, (JS, FH-G, CMªL, SC, AX); Centro de Investigación Biomedica En Red-Enfermedades Respiratorias (CibeRes, CB06/06/0028) (JS, CMªL); Servei de Cirurgia Toràcica, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona (MP); Servei de Malalties Autoimmunes (PB-Z, SP-G, GE); Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico (MB, MS); and Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain (JR).
authors: Jacobo
authors: J
authors: Sellarés
authors: Fernanda
authors: F
authors: Hernández-González
authors: Carmen Mª
authors: CM
authors: Lucena
authors: Marina
authors: M
authors: Paradela
authors: Pilar
authors: P
authors: Brito-Zerón
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Prieto-González
authors: Mariana
authors: M
authors: Benegas
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Cuerpo
authors: Gerard
authors: G
authors: Espinosa
authors: José
authors: J
authors: Ramírez
authors: Marcelo
authors: M
authors: Sánchez
authors: Antoni
authors: A
authors: Xaubet
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001314:Auscultation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies