Respiratory Exchange during Exercise in Patients with Diffuse Obstructive Pulmonary Emphysema

¹ Univesity of Buffalo Chronic Disease Research Institute

1. A step-test to evaluate ventilatory and respiratory function has been explored. The volumes of ventilation, oxygen uptake, and carbon dioxide output which exceed basal values are analyzed with respect to the total work done. Mean values are presented for normal subjects and for patients with diffuse obstructive pulmonary emphysema.

2. The patients with emphysema consistently showed a slower rate of return of the excess volumes per unit of work to control levels than did normal subjects.

3. During and following the exercise, analysis of the rates of decline of the logarithm of excess respiratory volumes per unit of work provided the best index for separating patients with obstructive pulmonary emphysema from normal subjects.