CT SCANNING, DISEASE PROGRESSION AND α₁-ANTITRYPSIN DEFICIENCY

There is now increasing evidence that CT lung density measurements may be used to follow the progression of emphysema, and in this issue of Thorax we publish two papers on the relation between CT scanning and disease progression in patients with α₁-antitrypsin deficiency. Dawkins and colleagues studied 256 patients, followed for a median period of about 2 years, and found that the upper zone expiratory scan had the best association with respiratory and all cause mortality, being better than other lung function parameters. Stolk and colleagues found that, over a 30 month follow up period, changes in lung density correlated well with changes in health status although there was no relation with changes in FEV₁. In the accompanying editorial Dirksen discusses some of the limitations and differences in the studies. He also points out the need for …