Table 2.
Estimates of lung function according to radiological findings.
| Overall | Studies with X-ray | Studies with (HR)CT | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | Estimate | 95% CI | I2 (%) | n | Estimate | 95% CI | I2 (%) | n | Estimate | 95% CI | I2 (%) | |
| FVC (% predicted) | ||||||||||||
| Normal imaging | 15 | 95.7 | 93.9-97.3 | 94.8 | 9 | 94.9 | 92.9-96.9 | 96.2 | 6 | 97.1 | 94.2-100.1 | 89.1 |
| Pleural fibrosis | 14 | 89.0 | 86.5-91.5 | 96.1 | 8 | 87.1 | 83.9-90.4 | 89.5 | 6 | 91.6 | 87.8-95.4 | 96.8 |
| Asbestosis | 20 | 86.5 | 83.7-89.4 | 98.2 | 10 | 84.8 | 80.8-88.8 | 98.9 | 10 | 88.5 | 84.3-92.7 | 95.8 |
| FEV1 (% predicted) | ||||||||||||
| Normal imaging | 14 | 93.6 | 90.6-96.5 | 97.3 | 8 | 91.4 | 87.7-95.1 | 98.0 | 6 | 97.4 | 92.5-102.2 | 64.7 |
| Pleural fibrosis | 11 | 89.2 | 84.7-93.7 | 93.7 | 5 | 83.9 | 77.2-90.5 | 42.0 | 6 | 93.7 | 87.6-99.9 | 95.8 |
| Asbestosis | 17 | 85.7 | 80.6-90.7 | 98.8 | 7 | 85.5 | 77.8-93.1 | 99.5 | 10 | 85.8 | 79.2-92.5 | 80.8 |
| FEV1/FVC (% predicted) | ||||||||||||
| Normal imaging | 3 | 96.4 | 94.3-98.5 | 86.9 | 2 | 97.4 | 92.5-102.2 | 64.7 | 1 | 94.9 | 86.8-103.0 | - |
| Pleural fibrosis | 5 | 95.4 | 92.7-98.1 | 68.7 | 2 | 93.7 | 87.6-99.9 | 95.8 | 3 | 96.3 | 92.6-100.1 | 68.1 |
| Asbestosis | 8 | 95.5 | 94.1-96.9 | 83.8 | 3 | 85.8 | 79.2-92.5 | 80.8 | 5 | 97.0 | 95.7-98.3 | 0.0 |
Comparison of imaging procedure.
Estimates for forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and the ratio of both parameters (FEV1/FVC) for each radiological subgroup. Results are shown for all included studies as well as separated according to the radiological method used for the diagnosis (conventional chest X-ray or (high resolution) computed tomography. Estimates are expressed as percent predicted together with confidence interval (CI) and I2 as a measure of heterogeneity, n = number of studies included in each subgroup.