To evaluate the clinical relevance of LLN-defined airway obstruction to survival outcomes.
The clinical relevance of LLN-defined airway obstruction was analyzed and compared in 699 subjects, using Kaplan–Meier curves and the log-rank test. A Cox regression model was used to explore prognostic risk factors.
One hundred-and-seventy-eight subjects were assigned to the below-LLN group, in which airflow obstruction determined by the FEV1/FVC ratio was below the LLN. Five hundred-and-twenty-one subjects were assigned to the above-LLN group. The below-LLN group had a worse overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) than the above-LLN group. The diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide and the ratio of the inspiratory capacity divided to the total lung capacity were independent risk factors for OS and DFS.
A standardized assessment of LLN-defined airway obstruction may allow risk stratification for survival likelihood in lung cancer patients who undergo thoracic surgery.