title: Dynamic hyperinflation during exercise in patients with precapillary pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension often present with a mild obstructive lung pattern, however, the functional consequences are not known.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed flow volume loops during exercise in 61 patients with precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) (age 55 ± 14 years) in comparison with 21 patients with COPD (60 ± 12 years), 39 patients with pulmonary fibrosis (58 ± 11 years) and 38 healthy controls (HC) (39 ± 15 years). Inspiratory capacity (IC) was measured at rest, and during maximum exercise (max).
  
  
  RESULTS
  HC exhibited a stable IC of 3.0 ± 0.9 l at rest, and at max. A reduction in IC of 2.6 ± 0.8 l at rest to 2.0 ± 0.7 l at max was observed in patients with COPD. Patients with PH exhibited a significant reduction in IC from 2.3 ± 0.6 l at rest to 2.1 ± 0.6 l at max, while patients with pulmonary fibrosis exhibited a stable IC of 1.8 ± 0.6 at rest and 1.7 ± 0.6 l at max. In patients with PH, a weak negative correlation was drawn between the change in IC (%) and peak VO2 (r = -0.29, p = 0.01), as well as with PVR (r = -0.27, p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with PH demonstrate a characteristic change in IC during exercise, which might contribute to impaired exercise tolerance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Giessen Lung Center, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Manuel J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Voswinckel
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tiede
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tanislav
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Feustel
authors.forename: Rory E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Morty
authors.forename: Hossein A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Ghofrani
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Seeger
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Reichenberger
mesh_terms: D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D007320:Inspiratory Capacity; D008297:Male; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012146:Rest