[Profile of patients evaluated with the Carbon Monoxide Diffusion Capacity Test: A Chilean experience]

The carbon monoxide diffusion capacity test (DLCO) is a clinically useful, routine, non-invasive lung function assessment to determine the status of lung function in patients with chronic disorders such as interstitial lung disease (ILD).

To describe the sociodemographic and clinical profile of users of the DLCO test in Valdivia, Chile.

Observational, retrospective, documentary-based study. From the records of 490 patients who underwent the DLCO test between 2017 and 2019, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and reports of cigarette consumption are described, such as cigarettes/d and pack-year index (PYI), comparing by sex.

The highest proportion of those evaluated were women (61%), with a median age of 65 years, higher in women (66 vs. 64 years; p = 0.0361). The majority consulted for ILD (54.5%). According to nutritional status, 38% presented pre-obesity and 24.7% obesity I (24.7%), highlighting that 40.5% of women and 33% of men were in some category of obesity. Among those who reported information on cigarette consumption (n = 346, 70.6%), 14.7% (n = 51) were current consumers, with a median consumption of 10 cigarettes/d, without differences by sex. Among exsmokers (n = 144; 50% men/women) there was significantly less daily (5 vs 15; p = 0.0300) and IPA (7 vs 18; p = 0.0083) consumption in women.

In DLCO users, the main consultation diagnosis was ILD. High frequency of obesity and smoking stood out, with no difference in consumption by sex in current smokers, but yes in ex-smokers.