Ultrasound Assessment of the Correlation between Diaphragm Function and Pulmonary Function in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

WEI Jie; LIU Jiaoran; ZHOU Meng; ZHANG Rongxin; LIU Huimin; PENG Long; LIN Yu; WANG Tianya; REN Xiangying

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-3097.2024.02.008

Abstract：Objective To evaluate the correlation between diaphragm function and pulmonary function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).Methods A total of 100 patients with COPD treated from January 2022 to March 2023 were selected as the research group,and 100 healthy subjects who underwent physical examination during the same period were selected as the control group.Pulmonary function and ultrasound examination were performed in both groups.The pulmonary function indexes of the two groups were compared,and the diaphragm movement of the control group and the patients with different COPD grades were compared at different breathing phases.The correlation between diaphragm function and pulmonary function in COPD patients was analyzed.Results The modified Medicine Research Council dyspnea scale(mMRC)score and residual volume(RV)/total lung volume(TLC)of the research group were higher than those of the control group.Forced expiratory volume in the first second(FEV1)/forced vital capacity(FVC),forced vital capacity as a per-centage of the estimated value(FVC%pred)and forced expiratory volume in the first second as a percentage of the estimated value(FEV1%pred)were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).The diaphragmatic movement during calm breath-ing(FRC)in severe group was higher than that in moderate group,mild group and control group,but the diaphragmatic move-ment during strenuous breathing(TLC)and the difference of diaphragmatic movement in different breathing phases(TLC-FRC)were lower than that in moderate group,mild group and control group(P<0.05).FRC in moderate group was higher than that in control group,but TLC and TLC-FRC were lower than those in mild group and control group(P<0.05).TLC-FRC in mild group was lower than that in control group(P<0.05).The diaphragm function of COPD patients was positively correlated with FEV1%pred,FVC%pred,FEV1/FVC and TLC-FRC(r =0.595,0.436,0.637,0.576,P<0.05).It was negatively correla-ted with mMRC score and RV/TLC score(r =-0.613,-0.348,P<0.05).Conclusion In COPD patients,there is a sig-nificant correlation between diaphragm function and pulmonary function.Ultrasound assessment of diaphragm morphology can be used to understand its function,and thus provide references for disease diagnosis and treatment.