An observational study ascertaining the prevalence of bullae and blebs in young, healthy adults and its possible implications for scuba diving

This study aims to ascertain the prevalence of bullae in young and healthy adults.Methods: This single-center cross-sectional observational study re-assessed the CT scans of adults (aged 18—40) performed for a clinical suspicion for pulmonary embolism, from 1 January 2016 to 1 March 2020. Presence of bullae was recorded in an electronic database. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used for statistical analyses. Additionally, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to study the independent predictive value of identified risk factors.Results: A total of 1,014 cases were identified, of which 836 could be included. Distribution amongst age groups (18–25, 26–30, 31–35, and 36–40) was almost equally, however, 75% of the population was female. Of the male proportion, 41% smoked, compared to 27% in females. In 7.2% (95% CI 5.6–9.1) bullae were identified. The prevalence increased with increasing age (p < 0.001), with odd ratios up to 5.347 (95% CI 2.164–13.213, p < 0.001) in the oldest age group. Males and smokers had higher odds ratios for bullae of 2.460 (95% CI 1.144–4.208; p = 0.001) and 3.406 (95% CI 1.878–6.157, p < 0.001), respectively. Similar results were seen in the multivariate logistic regression analysis, where age, male sex and smoking were all statistically significant independent risk factors for bullae.Discussion: Bullae were seen in 7.2% of a healthy population up to 40 years old. Increasing age, smoking, and being m...
Source: Frontiers in Physiology - Category: Physiology Source Type: research