[Place of muscular exercise test in screening in asymptomatic smokers].
The diagnosis of smoking-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is often made too late. Could the study of breathing pattern during exercise testing help in earlier detection. In order to test this hypothesis, we studied 34 asymptomatic smokers (S) compared to 55 nonsmoking controls (NS). The subjects, divided into 3 age groups (30-60 yr), were comparable in terms of anthropometric and spirometric characteristics. The smokers from 30-50 yr had a lower VO2max than the controls (p less than 0.01) whereas the older smokers (50-60 yr) had a VO2max comparable to that of the controls. The study of breathing pattern indicated rapid, shallow breathing by all smokers. Thus exercise testing, and the abnormalities observed in breathing pattern, would seem to help in early detection of COPD in asymptomatic smokers.
Fabre
J
J
Service d'Exploration de la Fonction Respiratoire, Hôpital Aiguelongue, Montpellier, France.
Varray
A
A
Mercier
J
J
Caillaud
C
C
Préfaut
C
C
D000328:Adult; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000503:physiopathology
Place de l'épreuve d'exercice musculaire dans le dépistage de fumeurs asymptomatiques.