Vasogenic cerebral edema associated with the disability in activities of daily living in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

• Published in: Brain and behavior Vol. 8; no. 8; pp. e01065 - n/a
• Main Authors: Wang, Xiaochuan, Huang, Xuqing, Gao, Zhongming, Jiang, Haibo, Lu, Xiaodong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.08.2018; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Aged; apparent diffusion coefficient; Brain - diagnostic imaging; Brain - physiopathology; Brain Edema - complications; Brain Edema - diagnostic imaging; Brain Edema - physiopathology; Brain Mapping - methods; cerebral edema; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; COPD; Diffusion Tensor Imaging - methods; Disabled Persons - statistics & numerical data; DTI; Edema; Female; Health risk assessment; Humans; Male; Original Research; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - complications; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - physiopathology; DTI; apparent diffusion coefficient; cerebral edema; activities of daily living; COPD
• ISSN: 2162-3279; 2162-3279
• DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1065

Introduction The aim of this study was to explore whether patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) develop vasogenic cerebral edema, and whether this edema contributes to the COPD‐related disability. Methods Eighteen stable patients with COPD and 17 matched healthy volunteers were enrolled. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were calculated by voxel‐based analysis using DTI‐Studio software based on diffusion tensor imaging. COPD‐related disability was calculated using activities of daily living (ADL) scale. Results In patients with COPD, ADC increased in the white matter fiber tracts including the bilateral anterior cingulum and posterior corpus callosum and in the white matter fibers connecting the bilateral insular cortices, sub‐lobar cortices, and pars triangularis cortices and the left rectus and olfactory gyrus. However, after further controlling for cigarette smoking, the difference in ADC values in the posterior corpus callosum between groups disappeared. Patients with COPD had significantly higher scores in ADL than that in controls. Moreover, ADL scores were positively correlated with the increased regional ADC values. Conclusion Vasogenic cerebral edema occurs in patients with COPD. Cigarette smoking may be a risk factor for COPD‐related vasogenic edema. Vasogenic cerebral edema may be related to the COPD‐related ADL impairment. 1. COPD patients have increased ADC values in the white matter fiber tracts; 2. COPD patients had significantly higher scores in ADL; 3. ADL scores were positively correlated with the increased regional ADC values.