Ventilatory response to carbon dioxide in patients with homozygous sickle-cell disease

The ventilatory response to carbon dioxide was measured by a rebreathing technique in 21 Nigerians who had homozygous sickle-cell disease. The slope of the carbon dioxide response curve was obtained by plotting the ventilation at successive half-minute intervals against the corresponding mean end-tidal PCO2. Our results showed that sickle-cell patients are as sensitive to carbon dioxide as are normal subjects.