Pressure-volume characteristics of excised human lungs: effects of sex, age, and emphysema

Abstract

Static deflationary pressure-volume curves were obtained in 28 emphysema-free (18 male and 10 female) and 39 emphysematous excised human lungs inflated to a maximum transpulmonary pressure (Pl) of 30 cmH2O. In emphysema-free lungs, the lung volumes at Pl 30 cmH2O (V30) were significantly related to body length in males and were significantly larger than predicated total lung capacity in vivo. However, corrected for stature (V30/body length), there was no significant age correlation. In both males and females, highly significant correlations between the PL at 50--90% V30 and age were obtained. There were no significant differences in these regressions between males and females. The emphysematous lungs were divided into three groups with increasing emphysema grades. Progressive decreases in the PL at 50--90% V30 and increases in the V30 were seen in the groups with increasing degrees of emphysema. Significant changes occurred in these measurements even in group 2 with mild emphysema, suggesting that the lesions of emphysema are not directly responsible for these changes.

Effects of age on elastic moduli of human lungs

“…As age increased above 20 yr, there was a trend toward greater values for K. These changes with age were associated with a greater lung volume at each Ptp value as age increased (Fig. 2), in agreement with previous studies using isolated human lungs at autopsy (4,7,12) and with in vivo measurements in humans (28). The increased lung volume at each Ptp with age is consistent with an increase in lung tissue elastin and a constant collagen content with age (22).…”

Fluoroscopic Estimation of Thoracic Dimensional Changes in Healthy Dogs

“…[23][24][25][26] Despite characteristic differences in lung size and airway diameters between the sexes, healthy men and women share the same degree of lung elasticity. 27 Similarly, we found that sex did not affect lung area changes in the examined healthy dogs.…”

“…Asthma, lung cancer, idiopathic pulmonary hypertension, and pulmonary fibrosis occur more commonly in either men or women . Despite characteristic differences in lung size and airway diameters between the sexes, healthy men and women share the same degree of lung elasticity . Similarly, we found that sex did not affect lung area changes in the examined healthy dogs.…”

State of the Art. A Structural and Functional Assessment of the Lung via Multidetector-Row Computed Tomography: Phenotyping Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

“…A number of studies have found that measurement of Dl CO has a very weak correlation with the pathologic assessment of emphysema (42)(43)(44). Measurements of elastic recoil pressure curves in life compared with pathologic assessment of emphysema at subsequent lung resection or postmortem have yielded conflicting results on the value of static compliance and K as a measure of emphysema (45)(46)(47)(48)(49). More recent studies show a weak but significant correlation between K and macroscopic emphysema (r ϭ 0.49) (47,48), with K believed to be a measure of alveolar distensibility.…”

“…Measurements of elastic recoil pressure curves in life compared with pathologic assessment of emphysema at subsequent lung resection or postmortem have yielded conflicting results on the value of static compliance and K as a measure of emphysema (45)(46)(47)(48)(49). More recent studies show a weak but significant correlation between K and macroscopic emphysema (r ϭ 0.49) (47,48), with K believed to be a measure of alveolar distensibility. This background highlights the continuing search for a marker for emphysema presence and severity.…”