Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30307987›Full record

ArticlePloS one2018

Quantitative computed tomography phenotypes, spirometric parameters, and episodes of exacerbation in heavy smokers: An analysis from South America.

Marcelo Cardoso Barros, Bruno Hochhegger, Stephan Altmayer, Guilherme Watte, Matheus Zanon, Ana Paula Sartori, Daniela Cavalet Blanco, Gabriel Sartori Pacini, Jose Miguel Chatkin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Quantitative computed tomography and predictive modelling for COPD exacerbations.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Marcelo Cardoso BarrosDepartment of Pulmonology, Pontíficia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-4985-6374
Bruno HochheggerDepartment of Radiology, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Stephan AltmayerDepartment of Radiology, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Guilherme WatteDepartment of Radiology, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-6948-3982
Matheus ZanonDepartment of Radiology, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0001-7851-5125
Ana Paula SartoriDepartment of Radiology, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Daniela Cavalet BlancoDepartment of Pulmonology, Pontíficia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Gabriel Sartori PaciniDepartment of Radiology, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Jose Miguel ChatkinDepartment of Pulmonology, Pontíficia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo evaluate the quantitative computed tomography (QCT) phenotypes, airflow limitations, and exacerbation-like episodes in heavy smokers in Southern Brazil.

methodsWe enrolled 172 smokers with a smoking history ≥30 pack-years who underwent pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and CT scan for lung cancer screening. Patients were classified regarding airflow limitation (FEV1/FVC <0.7 forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity) and the presence of emphysema on the QCT. The QCT were analyzed in specialized software and patients were classified in two disease-predominant phenotypes: emphysema-predominant (EP) and non-emphysema-predominant (NEP). EP was determined as ≥6% of percent low-attenuation areas (LAA%) with less than -950 Hounsfield units. NEP was defined as having a total LAA% of less than 6%.

resultsMost of our patients were classified in the EP phenotype. The EP group had significantly worse predicted FEV1 (60.6 ±22.9 vs. 89.7 ±15.9, p <0.001), higher rates of airflow limitation (85.7% vs. 15%; p <0.001), and had more exacerbation-like episodes (25.8% vs. 8.3%, p <0.001) compared to the NEP group. Smoking history, ethnicity, and BMI did not differ between the groups. The total LAA% was the QCT parameter with the strongest correlation to FEV1 (r = -0.669) and FEV1/FVC (r = -0.787).

conclusionsHeavy smokers with the EP phenotype on QCT were more likely to have airflow limitation, worse predicted FEV1, and a higher rate of exacerbation-like episodes than those with the NEP phenotype. Approximately 23% of patients with no airflow limitation on PFTs were classified in EP phenotype.

Indexed as

AgedBrazilDisease ProgressionFemaleHumansLungMaleMiddle AgedPhenotypePulmonary EmphysemaRespiratory Function TestsSmokersSmokingTomography, X-Ray Computed

Identifiers

PMID30307987
PMCPMC6181358

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.