title: Lung diffusing capacity in sub-Saharan Africans versus European Caucasians.
abstract: Single breath measurements of lung diffusing capacity (DL) for carbon monoxide (CO) and nitric oxide (NO) were performed in age-, sex-, weight- and height-matched 32 sub-Saharan Africans (13 women) and 32 Caucasian Europeans, and repeated in 14 of each group at 80% of maximum exercise capacity. In Africans versus Caucasians respectively, DLNOwas 153±31 vs 176±38ml/mmHg/min at rest (P<0.001) and 210±48 vs 241±52ml/mmHg/min at exercise (P<0.01) while hemoglobin-adjusted DLCOwas 29±6 vs 34±6ml/mmHg/min at rest (P<0.001), and 46±11 vs 51±13ml/mmHg/min at exercise (P<0.01). However there were no differences in DLCO/alveolar volume(VA) (KCO) and DLNO/VA(KNO). The sitting-to-standing height ratio was lower in the Africans. Differences in lung volume with respect to body height explain lower DLNOand DLCOin sub-Saharan Africans as compared to Caucasian Europeans.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Motor Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bamodi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Simaga
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Motor Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Forton
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Motor Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Motoji
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Motor Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium. Electronic address: rnaeije@ulb.ac.be.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naeije
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Motor Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: Vitalie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Faoro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D044383:Black People; D001827:Body Height; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D005060:Europe; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011653:Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D002248:Carbon Monoxide
keywords: Carbon monoxide; Exercise; Lung diffusing capacity; Lung function test; Nitric oxide; Race