[Ventilatory mechanics and alveolo-capillary diffusion in diabetes]

In order to appreciate the repercussion of diabetes on the respiratory function, we measured the pulmonary volumes, the ventilatory flows, the airways resistances (Raw) and the diffusing capacity for the carbon monoxide (DLCO) of 49 diabetes distributed into 27 IDDM and 22 NIDDM aged from 15 to 56 years, compared to 31 control subjects. We found a significant decrease in the total pulmonary capacity (TCL), the vital capacity (VC), the inspiratory capacity (IC), the ventilatory flows and the DLCO. The decrease of the VC and the FEV1 will be more marked in the IDDM. The decrease of the DLCO will be more pronounced within masculine sex, it seems to be correlated with the duration of diabetes and more impaired if a diabetic nephropathy is associated especially in IDDM. Our results suggest that in the diabetes evolution, the lung is among the target organs in the degenerative complications. The respiratory tests reflect the pulmonary reach in the diabetes and provides important perspectives in the following.