Comparison of thoracic dimensions of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and healthy controls: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is a heterogeneous collection of diseases with differing causes and pathogenic mechanisms. The present study was conducted to compare thoracic dimensions between normal and COPD subjects. Materials & Methods: 70 patients with COPD and 70 healthy subjects were included in 2 groups. Group I were COPD patients and group II were healthy subjects. Average transverse rib cage diameter, HDI and pulmonary function tests were compared. Results: The mean AP diameter in group I was 10.9mm and in group II was 9.1 mm, transverse diameter was 22.7 mm in group I and 21.0 mm in group II and HDI was 23.7 mm in group I and 20.1 mm in group II. The mean FEV1 in group I was 54.1% and in group II was 89.2, FVC was 47.4 in group I and 91.5 in group II and FEV 1/FVC was 42.6 in group I and 97.2% in group II. The difference was statistically significant (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Thoracic dimensions were increased in COPD patients as compared to healthy subjects.