Oxygen consumption of respiratory muscles in patients with COPD

We measured the oxygen consumption (VO2) of respiratory muscles in 8 COPD patients and 12 age-matched healthy subjects using a closed circuit device which allows a continuous increase in external dead space and is equipped with a 9-L Collins spirometer. Furthermore, we measured simultaneously mouth occlusion pressure at 0.1 s of inspiration (P0.1), minute ventilation (VE), and other ventilatory parameters during the measurement of total VO2 (VO2 tot). We found that the logarithm of VO2tot (logVO2tot) had a good correlation with VE in both groups. The mean slope of the regression line of logVO2tot and VE (delta logVO2tot/delta VE) of COPD patients was significantly higher than that of normal subjects (p < 0.001). However, the mean Y-intercept (metabolic VO2[VO2met]) of the regression lines did not differ between the two groups. The P0.1 in COPD patients was higher than that in normal subjects at the corresponding dead space loading. However, the VE did not differ between the two groups except for at rest and the first 1 min after dead space loading. These results suggest that the VO2 of respiratory muscles in patients with COPD is higher at given ventilation compared with that in age-matched normal subjects and that this increased VO2 partly may be due to an augmented ventilatory drive.