Determination of lung capillary blood volume and membrane diffusing capacity in man by the measurements of NO and CO transfer

1987 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Guenard ◽  
N. Varene ◽  
P. Vaida
2017 ◽  
Vol 122 (3) ◽  
pp. 460-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa M. Bouwsema ◽  
Vincent Tedjasaputra ◽  
Michael K. Stickland

Previous work suggests that women may exhibit a greater respiratory limitation in exercise compared with height-matched men. Diffusion capacity (DlCO) increases with incremental exercise, and the smaller lungs of women may limit membrane diffusing capacity (Dm) and pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc) in response to the increased oxygen demand. We hypothesized that women would have lower DlCO, DlCO relative to cardiac output (DlCO/Q̇), Dm, Vc, and pulmonary transit time, secondary to lower Vc at peak exercise. Sixteen women (112 ± 12% predicted relative V̇o2peak) and sixteen men (118 ± 22% predicted relative V̇o2peak) were matched for height and weight. Hemoglobin-corrected diffusing capacity (DlCO), Vc, and Dm were determined via the multiple-[Formula: see text] DlCO technique at rest and during incremental exercise up to 90% of V̇o2peak. Both groups increased DlCO, Vc, and Dm with exercise intensity, but women had 20% lower DlCO ( P < 0.001), 18% lower Vc ( P = 0.002), and 22% lower Dm ( P < 0.001) compared with men across all workloads, and neither group exhibited a plateau in Vc. When expressed relative to alveolar volume (Va), the between-sex difference was eliminated. The drop in DlCO/Q̇ was proportionally less in women than men, and mean pulmonary transit time did not drop below 0.3 s in either group. Women demonstrate consistently lower DlCO, Vc, and Dm compared with height-matched men during exercise; however, these differences disappear with correction for lung size. These results suggest that after differences in lung volume are accounted for there is no intrinsic sex difference in the DlCO, Vc, or Dm response to exercise. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Women demonstrate lower diffusing capacity-to-cardiac output ratio (DlCO/Q̇), pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc), and membrane diffusing capacity (Dm) compared with height-matched men during exercise. However, these differences disappear after correction for lung size. The drop in DlCO/Q̇ was proportionally less in women, and pulmonary transit time did not drop below 0.3 s in either group. After differences in lung volume are accounted for, there is no intrinsic sex difference in DlCO, Vc, or Dm response to exercise.


1965 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Jouasset-Strieder ◽  
John M. Cahill ◽  
John J. Byrne ◽  
Edward A. Gaensler

The CO diffusing capacity (Dl) was measured by the single-breath method in eight anesthetized dogs. Pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc) and membrane diffusing capacity (Dm) were determined in six animals by the method of Roughton and Forster. The studies were repeated after anemia had been induced by replacing whole blood with plasma. Large dogs were selected with a mean body weight of 29 kg and a mean alveolar volume of 2,020 ml (STPD) during tests. The mean arterial blood Hb decreased from 14.3 to 6.6 g/100 ml, the mean Dl from 27 to 12 ml/min mm Hg, and the mean Dm from 100 to 47 ml/min mm Hg. Vc averaged 67 ml in the control state and was not significantly changed during anemia. Reductions in Dl and Dm during anemia were proportional to the fall in blood Hb. Both Dl and Dm in all dogs, normal and anemic, were proportional to the volume of red blood cells in the lung capillaries (Vrbc). These results suggest that Vrbc might be an estimate of the useful area of the alveolar-capillary membrane while Dm/Vrbc should vary with changes in its thickness. The latter was not altered by anemia. alveolar capillary membrane; pulmonary membrane; diffusing capacity; pulmonary capillary RBC volume; pulmonary diffusion pathway; carbon monoxide Submitted on March 2, 1964


1985 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Wedzicha ◽  
F. E. Cotter ◽  
P. J. W. Wallis ◽  
A. C. Newland ◽  
D. W. Empey

1. The transfer factor for carbon monoxide and its subdivisions, the membrane diffusing capacity (Dm) and the pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc), were measured in 16 patients with polycythaemia secondary to chronic hypoxic lung disease and in ten hypoxic non-polycythaemic control subjects. 2. The mean pulmonary capillary blood volume was significantly lower in the polycythaemic patients (31.6 ml, sd 11.2) compared with the control group (65.2 ml, sd 22.5) (P<0.001). 3. Erythrapheresis, as a method of isovolaemic haemodilution, was performed in 15 of the polycythaemic patients. The mean packed cell volume fell from 58 (sd 5)% to 47 (sd 5)% after treatment, with significant reductions in blood viscosity at both high and lower shear rates (P<0.001). 4. The mean pulmonary capillary blood volume increased from 32.3 ml (sd 11.3) before treatment to 48.7 ml (sd 18.7) after erythrapheresis (P<0.01), with no significant change in membrane diffusing capacity. 5. The rise in pulmonary capillary blood volume is another potential physiological advantage of the reduction of packed cell volume in patients with polycythaemia secondary to hypoxic lung disease.


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