European journal of applied physiology
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Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. · Oct 2002
Breath-by-breath fluctuations of pulmonary gas exchange and ventilation in COPD patients.
The purpose of the study was to characterise statistically the inherent fluctuations in breath-by-breath measurements of pulmonary gas exchange (oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide output, V*O2 and V*CO2, respectively) and pulmonary ventilation (V*E) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to compare them with those of healthy control subjects. Thirty subjects with COPD [mean (SD): 67 (6) years old; forced expiratory volume in 1 min, FEV1 1.25( 0.18) l; 42 (6)% predicted FEV1] and 12 healthy subjects [31 (3) years old; FEV1 3.62 (0.54) l; 99 (8)% predicted FEV1] performed exercise tests on a cycle ergometer at a constant work rate of moderate intensity. ⋯ Its magnitude varied among variables, but was independent of the signal amplitude for the same subject and variable. With ratios of amplitude of fluctuation:signal of around 10%, typical of the patients studied, the resolution of time constants and amplitude were congruent with 9 s and congruent with 100 ml.min(-1), respectively for V*O2 or V*CO2 with one repetition.