Sex-related differences in bronchial parameters and pulmonary function test results in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease based on three-dimensional quantitative computed tomography

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the effect of sex on bronchial parameters and the predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s expressed as a percentage of the forced vital capacity (FEV1% pred) on pulmonary function testing. METHODS: The data of 359 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with available FEV1% pred and computed tomography (CT) images were retrospectively reviewed. FACT-Digital lung TM software (DeXin, Xi’an, China) was used to perform fully automated three-dimensional CT quantitative measurements of the bronchi. Generation 5 to 7 bronchi were measured, and the parameters analyzed were the lumen diameter (LD), wall thickness (WT), lumen area (LA), and WA% [WA / (WA + LA) × 100%]. RESULTS: In the smoking, smoking cessation, and nonsmoking groups, women had a significantly larger WA% and smaller LD, WT, and LA than men. The FEV1% pred was significantly lower in women than men in the smoking and smoking cessation groups. The FEV1% pred was significantly higher in women than men in the nonsmoking group. CONCLUSION: Sex-related differences may partially explain why smoking women experience more severe pulmonary function impairment than men among patients with COPD.