Clinical improvements after endoscopic lung volume reduction with valves in patients with advanced emphysema and a 6-min walk test ≤140 m at baseline
BackgroundData regarding the effectiveness and safety of endoscopic lung volume reduction with valves (ELVR) in emphysema patients with a very low 6-min walk test (6MWT) are limited. Patients with severe emphysema and very low exercise capacity, as indicated by a 6MWT ≤140 m, are often excluded from clinical studies on ELVR, assuming limited therapeutic benefits and increased complication risk.Study designs and methodsThis study utilised data from the Lungenemphysemregister e.V., a large German national multi-centre prospective open-label clinical trial, and aimed to assess the outcomes of ELVR in patients with a baseline 6MWT ≤140 m and dyspnoea primarily attributed to hyperinflation.Results54 patients with a baseline 6MWT ≤140 m and 365 patients with a baseline 6MWT between 140 and 450 m were included in the study. Baseline characteristics were representative for patients with advanced lung emphysema. Patients with a 6MWT ≤140 m at baseline had a lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s
