The study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, is based on data from the multicenter HANSE study, which involves several DZL sites, including researchers from the BREATH site: Dr. Benjamin-Alexander Bollmann (Department of Pneumology and Infectious Diseases) as well as Dr. Sabine Dettmer and Prof. Jens Vogel-Claussen (Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology) at Hannover Medical School.

In total, more than 1,600 individuals were examined who underwent oscillometry testing and AI-based computed tomography (CT) analyses as part of a lung cancer screening program. The results showed that almost 40 percent of participants exhibited so-called small airway dysfunction (SAD)—a functional impairment of the smallest airways. Notably, around one quarter of these individuals showed structural airway changes despite having normal spirometry results. This patient group (“PA-SAD”) appears to represent a possible early stage of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

“Our results show that oscillometry is more sensitive to early changes in the airways than classical spirometry. These early changes in lung function are associated with anatomical airway alterations that were quantified using AI-based CT analysis,” explains Prof. Jens Vogel-Claussen, lead investigator of the HANSE study. “This opens up the opportunity to detect lung disease much earlier and to prevent progression toward COPD.”

In addition to structural airway changes, individuals with SAD also more frequently exhibited cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The researchers see this as an important indication that oscillometry may serve not only for the early detection of lung disease, but also as a marker for systemic comorbidities.

The study highlights how close collaboration within the DZL contributes to the identification of new disease mechanisms. The combination of oscillometry, AI, and clinical expertise provides a foundation for more precise diagnostics and individualized prevention strategies in individuals exposed to tobacco.

Original publication:

Abdo M. et al. Oscillometry-defined Small Airway Dysfunction in Tobacco-exposed Adults with Impaired or Preserved Airflow. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2025; 211(9):1652–1661. doi:10.1164/rccm.202501-0028OC

Text: BREATH/ AB

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