Respiratory medicine
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Respiratory medicine · Jan 2010
Randomized Controlled TrialDistribution of emphysema in heavy smokers: impact on pulmonary function.
To investigate impact of distribution of computed tomography (CT) emphysema on severity of airflow limitation and gas exchange impairment in current and former heavy smokers participating in a lung cancer screening trial. ⋯ In a heavy smoking population, an apical distribution is associated with more severe gas exchange impairment than a basal distribution; for moderate emphysema it is also associated with a lower FEV(1)/FVC ratio. However, differences are small, and likely clinically irrelevant.