Lung function and cardiopulmonary exercise capacity in patients with corrected tetralogy of Fallot.
BACKGROUND
Since surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot was introduced, follow-up studies have shown that the majority of patients lead active lives and have no subjective exercise limitation.


OBJECTIVE
To examine lung function, cardiopulmonary functional capacity and echo-Doppler assessment of pulmonary pressure in adult patients 20 years after repair of TOF.


METHODS
Unselected consecutive patients performed full lung function testing, progressive cardiopulmonary exercise, and echo-Doppler assessments of pulmonary pressure.


RESULTS
Fifty consecutive patients (33 men, 17 women) aged 29 +/- 11 years who underwent surgical repair of TOF at age 10.1 +/- 10.9 years were enrolled. Patients after TOF showed no restriction (forced expiratory vital capacity 80%, total lung capacity 91%) and had normal oxygen saturation (97%) and 6 minute walking distance (600 meters). Echocardiography showed normal pulmonary pressure and left ventricular ejection function (62%). Cardiopulmonary exercise testing showed mild limitation of exercise capacity with oxygen uptake at maximal effort of 75-78% predicted.


CONCLUSIONS
After corrections of TOF the study patients had normal lung function and pulmonary arterial pressure but mild limitation in their exercise capacity.
Institute of Pulmonology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
Gabriel
G
Izbicki
Gershon
G
Fink
Avi
A
Algom
Rafael
R
Hirsch
Leonard
L
Blieden
Eliezer
E
Klainman
Elie
E
Picard
Shmuel
S
Goldberg
Mordechai R
MR
Kramer
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013771:Tetralogy of Fallot / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*