Effect of breathing helium-oxygen on static lung volumes and lung recoil in normal man

Static lung volumes and static elastic recoil pressure (Pel) were measured in normal subjects breathing air and 80% helium plus 20% oxygen (He+O2). In 22 subjects, He+O2 produced small but significant increases in total lung capacity (TLC) (mean 0.11 liter, P less than 0.001) and residual volume (mean 0.10 liter, P less than 0.01) without change in vital capacity or functional residual capacity. The mechanisms for this change are obscure. In 10 subjects, breathing He+O2 had no significant effect on Pel (paired t-test) at any lung volume measured (50-80% TLC). In one subject, Pel at 70 and 80% TLC was significantly higher on air than on He+O2 (unpaired t-test, P less than 0.05). Because changes in lung volumes and lung recoil were small, we concluded that these effects do not negate the clinical utility of He+O2 flow-volume curves.