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Breathlessness and transfer factor for the lung in chronic obstructive lung disease
Revue Roumaine De Medecine Interne (1964)
|January 1, 1975
Summary
In obstructive lung disease, breath-holding CO transfer factor did not correlate with dyspnea. However, a significant correlation was found in emphysematous patients, specifically for the transfer coefficient.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Respiratory Physiology
Background:
- Obstructive lung diseases (OLD) encompass conditions like chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
- Dyspnea (shortness of breath) is a primary symptom impacting quality of life in OLD patients.
- Gas transfer abnormalities are common in OLD, but their direct correlation with dyspnea severity varies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between lung function tests (CO transfer factor and coefficient) and the severity of dyspnea in patients with moderate to severe obstructive lung disease.
- To determine if this correlation differs among subgroups of obstructive lung disease (bronchitic, intermediate, emphysematous).
Main Methods:
- Thirty-seven patients with moderate or severe obstructive lung disease (FEV1 < 1.5 L) were studied.
- Breath-holding Carbon Monoxide (CO) transfer factor and transfer coefficient were measured.
- Correlation analysis was performed between gas transfer parameters and dyspnea severity, both for the entire group and for subgroups.
Main Results:
- No significant correlation was found between CO transfer factor/coefficient and dyspnea severity when all patients were considered as a single group.
- Upon subdividing patients into bronchitic, intermediate, and emphysematous groups, a correlation emerged in the emphysematous subgroup.
- This correlation between dyspnea severity and gas transfer was statistically significant for the transfer coefficient in the emphysematous subgroup.
Conclusions:
- The overall correlation between gas transfer and dyspnea severity in obstructive lung disease is weak or non-existent.
- In patients with emphysema, impaired gas transfer (specifically the transfer coefficient) is significantly associated with increased dyspnea severity.
- These findings suggest that the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying emphysema may more directly link to the sensation of breathlessness than other obstructive lung diseases.
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