[Pulmonary diffusion of carbon monoxide in 2 clinical situations: bronchial asthma and diabetes mellitus].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our work has been the study and comparison of diffusion capacity of CO (DLCO) in two different clinical situations: bronchial asthma and diabetes mellitus.


METHODS
We have studied 16 control subjects, 38 patients with bronchial asthma and 65 patients with diabetes mellitus. We performed CO pulmonary diffusion tests by single breath method to determine two components: membrane diffusion factor (Dm) and pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc).


RESULTS
We have found a positive correlation of FEV1 with Dm. The bronchial asthma group had a lower FEV1 and FEF25-75% and an increase in DLCO, Dm and Vc, with respect to the control group. The diabetes mellitus group presented a decrease in CVF, FEV1, DLCO and Vc, with respect to the control group. The bronchial asthma group showed a lower ratio of Dm/Vc than the control and diabetes groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The bronchial asthma patients have an increase in CO pulmonary diffusion, membrane diffusion factor and pulmonary capillary volume. However, the diabetes mellitus patients present a decrease in CO pulmonary diffusion mainly due to pulmonary capillary volume.
Zamarrón
C
C
Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Santiago de Compostela.
Del Campo
F
F
Paredes
C
C
Rodríguez Suárez
J R
JR
D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism*; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000378:metabolism*; D004058:Diffusion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D002248:Carbon Monoxide