Quantitative CT-based Structural Alterations of Segmental Airways in Cement Dust-Exposed Subjects

• DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-16792/v2
• Publication Date: 2020-05-28T19:39:30Z
• Authors: Taewoo Kim; Hyun Bin Cho; Woo Jin Kim; Chang Hyun Lee; Kum Ju Chae; So-Hyun Choi; Kyeong Eun Lee; So Hyeon Bak; Sung Ok Kwon; Gong Yong Jin; Jiwoong Choi; Eun-Kee Park; Ching-Long Lin; Eric A Hoffman; Sanghun Choi
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Wall thickening; Percent emphysema; Bronchi; Stiffness of airway structure; Diseases of the respiratory system; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Humans; Aged; Retrospective Studies; Bifurcation angle; RC705-779; Research; Total Lung Capacity; Airway narrowing; Dust; Environmental Exposure; Middle Aged; Respiratory Function Tests; 3. Good health; Female; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Abstract Background: Dust exposure has been reported as a risk factor of pulmonary disease, leading to alterations segmental airways and parenchymal lungs. This study aims investigate quantitative computed tomography (QCT)-based airway structural functional metrics due cement-dust exposure. Methods: To reduce confounding factors, subjects with normal spirometry without fibrosis, asthma pneumonia histories were only selected, propensity score matching was applied match age, sex, height, smoking status, pack-years. Thus, from larger data set (N=609), 41 cement dust-exposed compared 164 non-cement subjects. QCT imaging hydraulic diameter ( D h ), wall thickness (WT), bifurcation angle θ ) extracted at total lung capacity (TLC) residual (FRC), along their deformation ratios between TLC FRC. Results: In scan, showed decrease (airway narrowing) especially lower-lobes p <0.05), an increase WT (wall thickening) all alteration most the central <0.001) non-dust-exposed Furthermore, had smaller <0.05) right main bronchi left <0.01), indicating stiffness. Conclusions: Dust-exposed demonstrated narrowing lower-lobes, thickening airways, different loss elasticity lower-lobes. The may indicate pathophysiology dusts.