The following is a summary of “Measure of lung dielectric proprieties in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: correlation with clinical, radiological and pulmonary functional parameters,” published in the July 2023 issue of Pulmonology by Patrucco, et al.

Biological tissues exhibit distinct dielectric properties influenced by air content, blood presence, and parenchymal composition in the lungs. Remote Dielectric Sensing (ReDS™) technology is designed to measure these properties, providing insights into fluid content within lung tissues. For a study, researchers sought to assess the reliability of ReDS™ measurements in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and healthy volunteers. Additionally, the research sought to explore potential correlations between ReDS™ scores and various clinical, radiological, and functional parameters.

In a prospective observational study, 52 patients diagnosed with IPF and 17 healthy volunteers were included. Comprehensive functional assessments were conducted for each participant, encompassing dyspnea evaluation (using the mMRC scale), determination of Usual Interstitial Pneumonia (UIP) Computed Tomography (CT) patterns (UIP definite or probable), and ReDS™ measurements (expressed as percentages).

ReDS™ measurements were successfully obtained for IPF patients and healthy controls, with IPF patients displaying higher scores (33.8% vs. 29.1%, P = 0.003). Among IPF patients, an inverse correlation was observed between ReDS™ scores and functional parameters such as Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Vital Capacity (VC), and Total Lung Capacity (TLC). When focusing solely on IPF patients with a definite UIP CT pattern, the correlation remained inversely related to FVC, VC, TLC, and Diffusion Capacity of Carbon Monoxide (DLCO). Notably, higher mMRC dyspnea index values in IPF patients were associated with elevated ReDS™ scores. Conversely, no significant correlations were identified between ReDS™ scores and functional parameters in the healthy control group.

The study revealed noteworthy correlations between ReDS™ scores and specific functional and clinical parameters in IPF patients, particularly those indicative of or diagnostic for restrictive lung conditions. Furthermore, the ReDS™ score demonstrated a correlation with tissue density, suggesting its potential in quantifying tissue fibrosis within IPF patients.

Source: resmedjournal.com/article/S0954-6111(23)00258-5/fulltext