Assessment of Treatment Response in Patients With Severe Asthma Using Visual and Quantitative Analysis of Chest CT

Han Na Lee, Jin An, Miji Lee, Hye Jeon Hwang, Jooae Choe, Jihye Yoon, Ji Hyang Lee, Min Hye Kim, Young Joo Cho, Sang Min Lee, Tae Bum Kim, Joon Beom Seo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the role of visual and quantitative chest CT parameters in assessing treatment response in patients with severe asthma. Materials and Methods: Korean participants enrolled in a prospective multicenter study, named the Precision Medicine Intervention in Severe Asthma study, from May 2020 to August 2021, underwent baseline and follow-up chest CT scans (inspiration/expiration) 10–12 months apart, before and after biologic treatment. Two radiologists scored bronchiectasis severity and mucus plugging extent. Quantitative parameters were obtained from each CT scan as follows: normal lung area (normal), air trapping without emphysema (AT without emph), air trapping with emphysema (AT with emph), and airway (total branch count, Pi10). Clinical parameters, including pulmonary function tests (forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV1] and FEV1/ forced vital capacity [FVC]), sputum and blood eosinophil count, were assessed at initial and follow-up stages. Changes in CT parameters were correlated with changes in clinical parameters using Pearson or Spearman correlation. Results: Thirty-four participants (female:male, 20:14; median age, 50.5 years) diagnosed with severe asthma from three centers were included. Changes in the bronchiectasis and mucus plugging extent scores were negatively correlated with changes in FEV1 and FEV1/FVC (ρ = from-0.544 to-0.368, all P < 0.05). Changes in quantitative CT parameters were correlated with changes in FEV1 (normal, r = 0.373 [P = 0.030], AT without emph, r =-0.351 [P = 0.042]), FEV1/FVC (normal, r = 0.390 [P = 0.022], AT without emph, r =-0.370 [P = 0.031]). Changes in total branch count were positively correlated with changes in FEV1 (r = 0.349 [P = 0.043]). There was no correlation between changes in Pi10 and the clinical parameters (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Visual and quantitative CT parameters of normal, AT without emph, and total branch count may be effective for evaluating treatment response in patients with severe asthma.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)673-683
Number of pages11
JournalKorean Journal of Radiology
Volume25
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Korean Society of Radiology.

Keywords

  • Air trapping
  • Airway
  • Asthma
  • Computed tomography
  • Quantitative imaging

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