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Reference Values for the Diffusing Capacity Determined by the Single-Breath Technique at Different Altitudes: The

Juan Carlos Vázquez-García1, Rogelio Pérez-Padilla2, Alejandro Casas3

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|September 3, 2016
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Summary

New lung diffusion capacity (DLCO) reference equations for healthy Hispanic adults in Latin America are now available. These equations account for altitude and hemoglobin, improving diagnostic accuracy for lung diseases.

Keywords:
DLCOaltitudehemoglobinreference values

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Area of Science:

  • Pulmonary Medicine
  • Respiratory Physiology

Background:

  • Lung diffusion capacity (DLCO) is crucial for diagnosing and staging lung diseases.
  • Limited availability of reference values hinders DLCO test use in Latin America.
  • Previous reference values did not adequately account for regional factors like altitude.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To derive robust reference equations for single-breath DLCO in healthy Hispanic adults.
  • To incorporate altitude and hemoglobin levels into DLCO prediction.
  • To facilitate accurate DLCO assessment across diverse Latin American populations.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 480 healthy adults from four Latin American cities at varying altitudes (Caracas, Santiago, Mexico City, Bogota).
  • Utilized advanced instrumentation exceeding ATS/ERS 2005 guidelines for DLCO testing.
  • Implemented a centralized training and quality assurance program for consistent data collection.

Main Results:

  • Mean single-breath DLCO was 30.4 ± 9.2 mL/min/mm Hg.
  • Observed significant variations in DLCO compared to existing reference values, particularly at higher altitudes.
  • Standard adjustments for hemoglobin and altitude did not fully reconcile observed differences.

Conclusions:

  • Recommended new single-breath DLCO reference equations for Latin America.
  • Emphasized the importance of including altitude as a predictor in DLCO assessments.
  • Advocated for the use of current instruments and procedures for reliable DLCO measurements.