• Hilary F Armstrong, Nicole E Dussault, Wilawan Thirapatarapong, Renee S Lemieux, Byron M Thomashow, and Matthew N Bartels.
• Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York hfa2104@columbia.edu.
• Respir Care. 2015 Jan 1; 60 (1): 63-71.

BackgroundLung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) has been shown to improve the clearance of carbon dioxide and minute ventilation (V̇E) in select patients with COPD. One variable often assessed in COPD is ventilatory efficiency (V̇E/V̇CO2 ).MethodsWe compared 55 LVRS subjects with 25 controls from the National Emphysema Treatment Trial. V̇E/V̇CO2 was calculated from cardiopulmonary exercise testing at baseline and 6-months. We sought to assess V̇E/V̇CO2 changes with LVRS compared with controls who only received standard medical care.ResultsAt 6 months, the LVRS group significantly increased peak V̇O2 , work load, V̇E, V̇CO2 , and tidal volume while lowering peak and lowest V̇E/V̇CO2 (improved ventilatory efficiency) and end-tidal carbon dioxide pressure. The control group did not display these changes. The changes were greatest in the LVRS subjects who improved their exercise capacity after surgery (> 10 W).ConclusionsThe changes were greatest in the LVRS subjects who showed the most functional improvement, indicating an association of improved ventilation with improved functional outcome.Copyright © 2015 by Daedalus Enterprises.

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