Wk8 - Respiratory Flashcards
(171 cards)
How can we measure lung function?
At home- Peak flow, (oximetry)
At the GP surgery- Spirometry, oximetry
In a specialist lab- Spirometry, transfer factor, lung volumes, blood gases, bronchial provocation testing, respiratory muscle function, exercise testing etc.
Spirometry
- Definition
Definition: Forced expiratory manoeuvre from total lung capacity followed by a full inspiration
“take a big breath in as far as you can and blow out as hard as you can for as long as possible- then take a big breath all the way in”
Best of 3 acceptable attempts (within 5%) - best effort is taken as their spirometry
Spirometry pitfalls
Appropriately trained technician
Effort and technuque dependent
What is the normal FEV1/FVC ratio?
> 70% = N
If <70% = airflow obstruction
Reference ranges for lung function
FEV1 of 85% predicted may be considered “normal”
FEV1 of 100% percent predicted may represent significant decline if values supra-normal at the start
Corrected for age, gender, race, height and atmospheric values
Obstructive lung disease
Generally asthma or COPD
FEV1/ FVC ratio <70% (0.7 ratio).
Severity of COPD stratified by %predicted FEV1 mild >80% mod 50-80%, severe 30-50%, very severe <30%
Reversibility testing
Nebulised or inhaled salbutamol given
Spirometry before and 15 min after salbutamol
15% AND 400ml reversibility in FEV1 suggestive of asthma
Other investigations ofr asthma
PEFR testing
Look for diurnal variation and variation over time
Response to inhaled corticosteroid
Occupational asthma
Bronchial provocation
Spirometry before and after trial of inhaled/ oral corticosteroid
Restrictive lung disease
FEV1 AND FVC reduced
FEV1/ FVC ratio >70%
Causes of restrictive spirometry
Interstitial lung disease (stiff lungs) Kyphoscoliosis/ chest wall abnormality Previous pneumonectomy Neuromuscular disease Obesity Poor effort/ technique
Interpreting spirometry
First look at FEV1/ FVC ratio
If <70%, obstruction
If obstructed, look at % predicted FEV1 (severity) and any reversibility (COPD vs asthma)
If FEV1/ FEV ratio normal, look at % predicted FVC (if low, suggests restrictive abnormality)
Can also get mixed picture, eg obesity and COPD
Transfer factor
Is a measure of gas exchange
Single breath of a very small concentration of carbon monoxide
CO has very high affinity to Hb
Measure concentration in expired gas to derive uptake in the lungs
Affected by: Alveolar surface area Pulmonary capillary blood volume Haemoglobin concentration Ventilation perfusion mismatch
Reduced in: Emphysema Interstitial lung disease Pulmonary vascular disease Anaemia (increased in polychthaemia)
2 methods of measuring lung volume
(unable to measure residual volume by spirometry) Helium dilution (inspire known quantity of inert gas) Body plethysmography (respiratory manoevures in a sealed box lead to changes in air pressure- can derive lung volumes. Archimedes principle!)
Lung volumes reduced in
restrictive lung disease
Increased RV and RV/TLC in
obstructive lung disease
Oximetry
Non-invasive measurement of saturation of haemoglobin by oxygen
Depends on oxyhaemoglobin and deoxyhaemoglobin absorbing infrared light differently
Depends on adequate perfusion (shock, cardiac failure)
Does NOT measure carbon dioxide, so no measurement of ventilation
False reassurance in a patient on oxygen with normal saturations (acute asthma, COPD, hypoventilation)
Causes of hypoxaemia
Hypoventilation (eg drugs, neuromuscular disease)
Ventilation/ perfusion mismatch (eg COPD, pneumonia)
Shunt (eg congenital heart disease)
Low inspired oxygen (altitude, flight)
Ventilation perfusion mismatch
Happens to a degree in normal lungs
Main cause of hypoxaemia in medical patients (e.e.g pneumonia)
Areas of lung that are perfused but not well ventilated (eg pneumonic consolidation)
Mixing of blood from poorly ventilated and well ventilated parts of the lung causes hypoxaemia
Does not fully correct with oxygen administration
Shunt an “extreme” form of V/Q mismatch where blood bypasses the lungs entirely. Does not correct with oxygen administration
Blood gas analysis - what you are looking at
Always look at the pO2 first
Is the patient in respiratory failure requiring additional oxygen?
Then look at the PCO2 (type 1 vs type 2 respiratory failure)
Then consider acid base balance
Acute respiratory acidosis- elevated pCO2, normal bicarbonate, acidosis
Compensated respiratory acidosis- elevated pCO2, elevated bicarbonate (renal compensation), not acidotic
Acute on chronic respiratory acidosis- elevated pCO2, elevated bicarbonate, acidotic
COPD definition
COPD is characterised by airflow obstruction.
The airflow obstruction is usually progressive, not fully reversible and does not change markedly over several months.
The disease is commonly caused by smoking.
Effects of cigarette smoking on the lungs
Cilial motility is reduced (cilia are damaged/destroyed by smoking) - (so sputum is not cleared - increased infections)
Airway inflammation (neutrophilic inflammation)
Mucus hypertrophy and hypertrophy of Goblet cells
Increased protease activity, anti-proteases inhibited
Oxidative stress (increased free radicals e.g. hydrogen peroxide)
Squamous metaplasia → higher risk of lung cancer
Genetics for COPD
Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency: genetic present in 1 – 3 % of COPD patients serine proteinase inhibitor M alleles normal variant SS and ZZ homozygotes have clinical disease Unable to “counterbalance” destructive enzymes in lung Non-smokers get emphysema in 30s – 40s Smokers get emphysema much earlier
Smokers have increased risk of COPD if it is in the family
Clinical syndrome of COPD
Chronic Bronchitis:
the production of sputum on most days for at least 3 months in at least 2 years
Emphysema:
abnormal, permanent enlargement of the airspaces distal to the terminal bronchioles
Features seen in airways in patient with cOPD
Infiltration with neutrophils and CD8+ lymphocytes Loss of interstitial support Increased epithelial mucous cells Mucus gland hyperplasia Squamous metaplasia
Features of chronic bronchitis
Chronic Bronchitis:
larger airways > 4mm in diameter
Inflammation leads to scarring and thickening of airways
Small airways disease:
“Bronchiolitis” in airways of 2 -3 mm
May be an early feature of COPD
narrowing of the bronchioles due to mucus plugging, inflammation and fibrosis
Cell type involvement in COPD inflammation
Cell types Macrophages, CD8 and CD4 T lymphocytes, neutrophils Inflammatory Mediators TNF, IL-8 and other chemokines Neutrophil elastase, proteinase 3, cathepsin G (from activated neutrophils) Elastase and MMPs (from macrophages) Reactive oxygen species
Airway inflammation persists after smoking ceased