Abstract
Aim: Impulse oscillometry (IOS) requires minimal patient co-operation and assesses peripheral airway function. Our aim was to determine whether IOS indices were useful to identify lung function abnormalities in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD).
Methods: IOS measurements were performed on 36 adults, homozygous for sickle cell haemoglobin (HbSS), mean age 40.77 (± SD 13.80) years; the controls were 10 ethnically matched subjects. Respiratory system resistance (Rrs) at oscillation frequencies of 3Hz (Rrs3), 5Hz (Rrs5), 10Hz (Rrs10), 15Hz (Rrs15) and 20Hz (Rrs20), respiratory system reactance (Xrs) at an oscillation frequency of 5Hz (Xrs5), resonant frequency (fres) and reactance area (AX) were recorded. Frequency dependence of resistance between 3 and 20Hz (f-dr) was also calculated.
Results: Rrs was raised at all oscillometry frequencies in the SCD patients. Xrs5 and AX were increased in SCD patients (p= 0.00091, p=0.0006 respectively). The slopes of the linear transformations of frequency dependence of resistance (f-dr) curves were negative in SCD patients, but not in the controls (p<0.0001).
Conclusion: These results suggest adults with SCD have peripheral lung changes.
- © 2011 ERS