Journal Article

Dual test gas pulmonary diffusing capacity in patients with idiopathic scoliosis 40 years after diagnosis

Ragborg, Lærke C., Thomsen, Rie S., Mohammad, Milan, Ohrt‐Nissen, Søren, Gehrchen, Martin, Dragsted, Casper, Berg, Ronan M. G., Mortensen, Jann, Dahl, Benny

2025

Overview

There is limited knowledge on diffusing capacity in scoliosis patients. It remains to be determined if impaired pulmonary diffusing capacity is mostly influenced by reduced alveolar–capillary membrane diffusing capacity (DM, CO), reduced pulmonary capillary blood volume (VC) or both. This study aims to report findings from dual test gas pulmonary diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide and nitric oxide (DL, CO, NO) with quantification of pulmonary diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide corrected for haemoglobin with a five s breath‐hold (DL, COc, 5s) and nitric oxide with a five s breath‐hold (DL, NO, 5s), DM, CO and VC. The study included 57 patients with idiopathic scoliosis seen at our department from 1972 to 1983, all of whom underwent radiological assessment and measurement of DL, CO, NO during examination 40 years after diagnosis. One‐way ANOVA was performed for between‐group differences and Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess correlations between DL, CO, NO metrics and Cobb angle. No significant between‐group differences based on disease severity were detected. Thirty‐nine percent of the patients were presented with either reduced DL, COc, 5s or reduced DL, NO, 5s represented as Z‐scores below −1.65. No significant correlations between Cobb angle and Z‐scores for DL, COc, 5s, DL, NO, 5s, DM, CO and VC according to height measurements were found. When using arm span instead, a weak negative correlation between DL, COc, 5s and Cobb angle (r = −0.29; P = 0.04) was detected. In conclusion, approximately 39% of patients with idiopathic scoliosis had either reduced DL, COc, 5s or reduced DL, NO, 5s 40 years after diagnosis with varying contributions from VC or DM, CO. What is the central question of this study? Is pulmonary diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide and nitric oxide affected in patients diagnosed with juvenile or adolescent idiopathic scoliosis 40 years after diagnosis? What is the main finding and its importance? In patients diagnosed with juvenile or adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, about 39% were found to have reduced pulmonary diffusing capacity. No consistent relationship between scoliosis severity and pulmonary diffusing capacity was found.

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc,John Wiley and Sons Inc,Wiley
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / alveolar–capillary membrane diffusing capacity / Alveoli / Carbon monoxide / Carbon Monoxide - metabolism / Cobb angle / Diagnosis / Female / Hemoglobin / Humans / Lung - physiopathology / lung function / Male / Medical diagnosis / Middle Aged / Nitric oxide / Nitric Oxide - metabolism / Physiology / pulmonary capillary blood volume / Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity - physiology / Scoliosis / Scoliosis - diagnosis / Scoliosis - metabolism / Scoliosis - physiopathology / spine surgery / Young Adult