Small Airways Dysfunction in Systemic Sclerosis (5)

Statistics
Statistical differences between mean values were determined by Student’s t test and differences between proportions were examined using the x (x*» Yates correction). Regression analysis was used to quantify any correlation between MEF25 and TLC, FVC, FEV/FVC, and Deo. Statistical significance was inferred for p values of <0.05.
Results
Twenty-eight out of the 31 patients were women. The mean age±SD of the patients was 51.5 ±13.4 years (range, 18 to 64 years) and the mean duration of the disease was 6.4 ±4.6 years (range, 1 to 20 years). Twenty (18 female, 2 males) of 31 patients were classified as having diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis, while the remaining 11 (10 female, 1 male) patients had the limited cutaneous form of the disease.
Thirteen (42 percent) of 31 patients had a history of dyspnea on exertion and/or nonproductive cough, while in eight patients (26 percent), the clinical examination revealed bibasilar rales. Eighteen (58 percent) of 31 patients had roentgenologic findings, including mild or moderate diffuse parenchymal fibrosis consisted of reticular, nodular, and reticulonodular pattern in 14, localized calcification in four, pleural thicldng in two, and pulmonary artery enlargement in three patients.

Category: Pulmonary disease

Tags: pulmonary function, pulmonary involvement, scleroderma, systemic sclerosis