ABSTRACT
HRCT scanning increasingly used in bronchial asthma. This work was planned to assess the thickness of airway wall in chronic bronchial asthma by using HRCT scanning and its relation to pulmonary function and asthma severity. The study was carried out on 25 chronic asthmatic patients 14 females and 11 males and 10 normal healthy subjects as a control group they were matching as regard age, gender, and height All cases were subjected to the following: complete history taking complete clinical examination, plain chest radiography, pulmonary function tests and HRCT chest scanning at 5 levels; top of aortic arch, at the main carina, 1 cm below main carina, at the level of pulmonary veins, and 2 cm above right hemidiaphragm. Asthmatic patients were classified into severe asthma II cases, moderate asthma 10 cases, and 4 cases as mild asthma, the following data were found: There were no statistically significant difference between cases and control groups -in age, sex or height. There were highly significant increases in FVC, FEV[1], and FEF25-75% and low significance increase in FEV[1]/FVC among cases after use of bronchodilator than before it There was no significant difference in pulmonary function before and after BD among control group There were significant difference between cases and control groups in all pulmonary function results. There were high significant difference between cases and control groups in FEV[1], FVC, FEF 25-75% after use of bronchodilator. There were statistically significant negative association between wall thickness and FEV[1]/FVC and FEF25 75%. There were statistically negative significant correlation between wall area and FEF25-75%, and FEV[1]/FVC- There were significant negative correlation between [thickness/diameter] T/D ratio and FEF 25-75% and FEV[1]/FVC. There were significant correlation between airway wall area and severity of bronchial asthma. No significant correlation between airway wall thickness and FEV[1] but there is negative association between wall thickness and FEF25-75% and FEV[1]/FVC ratio. This study showed strong positive correlation between wall thickness, wall area and asthma severity and duration of asthma There were significant correlation between asthma severity, duration, and thickness of the airway wall and wall area%. Many changes as bronchiectasis, mucoid impaction, emphysema and bronchial dilatation were found in chronic asthmatics