Archivos de bronconeumología
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Arch. Bronconeumol. · Sep 2020
Gas Exchange and Ventilatory Efficiency During Exercise in Pulmonary Vascular Diseases.
Ventilatory inefficiency (high V'E/V'CO2) and resting hypocapnia are common in pulmonary vascular disease and are associated with poor prognosis. Low resting PaCO2 suggests increased chemosensitivity or an altered PaCO2 set-point. We aimed to determine the relationships between exercise gas exchange variables reflecting the PaCO2 set-point, exercise capacity, hemodynamics and V'E/V'CO2. ⋯ Resting hypocapnia is associated with worse cardiac function, more ventilatory inefficiency and reduced exercise capacity. This could be explained by elevated chemosensitivity and lower PaCO2 set-point. Maximal PETCO2 may be a useful non-invasive marker of PaCO2 setpoint and disease severity even with submaximal effort.