Evaluation of the Relationship Between Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases and Pulmonary Artery Diameter on Computed Tomography

Purpose: To study that how the non-asthma chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (non-asthma-COPD) affect pulmonary artery diameters. Methods: The main pulmonary artery diameter (MPAD), right and left main pulmonary artery diameter (RPAD-LPAD), and the ratio of MPAD to ascending aorta diameter (AAD) (MPAD/AAD) in all subjects of the sample were assessed. Cases with non-asthma-COPD were classified as Group 1; those who were not was categorized into Group 2. The link between non-asthma-COPD and diameters of pulmonary artery and also the ratio of MPAD/AAD was evaluated statistically according to the groups. Results: In the study in which a total of 905 cases were evaluated, 138 in Group 1; 767 in Group 2. The patients' average age was 44.82 ± 16.53 (18-82). It was discovered that there is a statistically significant relationship between MPAD, RPAD and LPAD values and non-asthma-COPD, and it was higher in Group 1 (p=0.049, p=0.011, p=0.022; p<0,05, respectively). The MPAD/AAD value of the cases in Group 1 was discovered to be slightly higher than Group 2 (p=0.006; p<0,01). While the cut-off value for MPAD is ≥23.5 mm, the odds ratio was 1.573 (95% CI: 1.092-2.267); while the cut-off value for MPAD/AAD was ≥0.88, the odds ratio was 1.918 (95% CI: 1.253-2.938). According to ROC analysis, MPAD values were more specific for non-asthma-COPD than MPAD/AAD ratio, but MPAD/AAD ratio was more sensitive. Conclusion: Although there is a relationship between non-asthma-COPD and MPAD, RPAD, LPAD; the ratio of MPAD /AAD is more sensitive for the presence of non-asthma-COPD.