Pulmonary Function Abnormalities in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

There is evidence that pulmonary function abnormalities are present in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this case-control study was to assess the frequency of pulmonary dysfunction in patients with IBD.

Pulmonary function of 37 patients with IBD (8 with CD and 29 with UC) without any known pulmonary disease was tested by body-box plethysmograph. As control 30 healthy subjects who were adjusted with patient group for age, sex, cigarette smoking and body mass index were also tested. Disease activity in IBD patients was assessed by the CD activity index for CD and the Truelove index for UC, respectively. Extension of gastrointestinal tract involvement was determined by endoscopic and radiograghic findings which had been documented before.

A total of 19% of patients with IBD had restrictive, obstructive or mixed pattern of pulmonary dysfunction in compare with 3% in control group. Forced expiratory flow 25-75% (FEF25-75%) and forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV1) mean were significantly lower in inflammatory bowel disease compared with control group (p=0.02 and p=0.036, respectively). Inverse correlation between extension of involvement of colon in patients with ulcerative colitis and FEV1 (R= -0.528, p= 0.003) and FEF25-75% (R= 0.532, p= 0.003) was observed. There was also inverse correlation between duration of inflammatory bowel disease and FEF25-75% (R= -0.336, p= 0.042).

Pulmonary involvement is a relatively frequent extraintestinal manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease, it's not known whether it is due to disease process itself or other factors such as drugs.