Lung Volumes in Diffuse Obstructive Pulmonary Syndromes

A. C. Young; C. J. Martin; S. Tsunoda

doi:10.1172/JCI107656

^{Institute of Respiratory Physiology, Firland Hospital, Seattle, Washington 98195}

^{Virginia Mason Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195}

^{Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195}

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^{Institute of Respiratory Physiology, Firland Hospital, Seattle, Washington 98195}

^{Virginia Mason Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195}

^{Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195}

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^{Institute of Respiratory Physiology, Firland Hospital, Seattle, Washington 98195}

^{Virginia Mason Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195}

^{Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195}

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Published in Volume 53, Issue 4 on April 1, 1974
J Clin Invest. 1974;53(4):1178–1184. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI107656.
© 1974 The American Society for Clinical Investigation

Published April 1, 1974 - Version history

Lung volumes in irreversible diffuse obstructive pulmonary syndromes (DOPS_I) have been studied by using an analog of the lung that simulates an 18-breath nitrogen washout. The functional residual capacity (FRC), the dead space volume (Vd), the distribution of ventilation, as well as the pattern of lung emptying have been measured in normal subjects and those with obstructive syndromes. The Vd increased progressively with severity of the obstructive syndrome, as did FRC. For all subjects, both normal and obstructed, the ratio of Vd/FRC remained relatively fixed with the regression line of Vd upon FRC showing a minimal value for Vd of 67 cm³. Vd increased by an average value of 33 cm³ per liter of lung volume above this value. The increase in FRC resulted from the increased volume of the poorly ventilated compartment for the most part. X-ray evidence of emphysema was poorly correlated with the changes in Vd or FRC. A significant increase in anatomical Vd in DOPS_I makes up an appreciable portion of the total Vd (physiological).