In this prospective observational study of COPD patients with mild to moderate airflow limitation, PAE was the best predictor of long-term survival along with age.

BACKGROUND: The clinical characteristics of patients with emphysema but without airway limitations remain unknown. The goal of this study was to compare the clinical features of current and former smokers without airflow limitation who have radiologic emphysema on chest CT scans vs a control group of current and ex-smokers without emphysema. METHODS: Subjects enrolled had anthropometric characteristics recorded, provided a medical history, and underwent low-dose chest CT scanning. The following parameters were also evaluated: pulmonary function tests including diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (D-LCO), the modified Medical Research Council dyspnea score, COPD assessment test (CAT), and 6-min walk test (6MWT). Acomparison was conducted between those with and withoutCT-confirmedemphysema. RESULTS: Of the 203 subjects, 154 had emphysema, and 49 did not. Adjusted group comparisons revealed that a higher proportion of patients with emphysema according to low-dose chest CT scanning had an abnormal DLCO value (< 80%) (46% vs 19%; P = .02), a decrease in percentage of oxygen saturation > 4% during the 6MWT (8.5% vs 0; P = .04), and an altered quality of life (CAT score >= 10) (32% vs 14%; P = .01). A detailed analysis of the CAT questionnaire items revealed that more patients with emphysema had a score >= 1 in the "chest tightness" (P = .05) and "limitation when doing activities at home" (P < .01) items compared with those with no emphysema. They also experienced significantly more exacerbations in the previous year (0.19 vs 0.04; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of smokers with emphysema according to low-dose chest CT scanning but without airway limitation had alterations in their quality of life, number of exacerbations, DLCO values, and oxygen saturation during the 6MWT test.

The experience in Spain's longest lung cancer screening program is comparable to what has been described in the rest of Europe, and confirms the feasibility and efficacy of lung cancer screening using LDCT.

Rationale: Lung cancer (LC) screening using low-dose chest computed tomography is now recommended in several guidelines using the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) entry criteria (age, 55-74; ¿30 pack-years; tobacco cessation within the previous 15 yr for former smokers). Concerns exist about their lack of sensitivity. Objectives: To evaluate the performance of NLST criteria in two different LC screening studies from Europe and the United States, and to explore the effect of using emphysema as a complementary criterion. Methods: Participants from the Pamplona International Early Lung Action Detection Program (P-IELCAP; n = 3,061) and the Pittsburgh Lung Screening Study (PLuSS; n = 3,638) were considered. LC cumulative frequencies, incidence densities, and annual detection rates were calculated in three hypothetical cohorts, including subjects whometNLST criteria alone, those withcomputed tomography-detected emphysema, and those who met NLST criteria and/or had emphysema. Measurements and Main Results: Thirty-six percent and 59% of P-IELCAP and PLuSS participants, respectively, met NLST criteria. Among these, higher LC incidence densities and detection rates were observed. However, applying NLST criteria to our original cohorts would miss asmany as 39% of all LC. Annual screening of subjects meeting either NLST criteria or having emphysema detected most cancers (88% and 95% of incident LC of P-IELCAP and PLuSS, respectively) despite reducing the number of screened participants by as much as 52%. Conclusions: LC screening based solely on NLST criteria could miss a significant number of LC cases. Combining NLST criteria and emphysema to select screening candidates results in higher LC detection rates and a lower number of cancers missed.

The COPD-LUCSS is a good predictor of LC risk in patients with COPD participating in LC screening programs. Validation in two different populations adds strength to the findings.