Importance of adjusting carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) and carbon monoxide transfer coefficient (K CO) for alveolar volume

Importance of appropriately adjusting diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide/alveolar volume ratio for lung volume.

In their report on cardiac sarcoidosis, Smedema et al (July 2005)1 remarkably conclude that patients without cardiac symptoms do not require more sensitive studies to detect heart disease. This report, while of interest, is limited by a patient follow-up that varied widely from 3 to 54 months. Since this study does not well characterize the natural history of asymptomatic cardiac sarcoidosis an...

Single breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (transfer factor)

Carbon monoxide transfer coefficient (transfer factor/alveolar volume) in females versus males.

The single breath transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide (TL,CO) is derived from the multiple of the carbon monoxide transfer coefficient (KCO) and the alveolar volume (VA) during breath holding [1]; consequently, the TL,CO is highly dependent on lung size (yVA), and thus is smaller in females for a given height and age. Essentially, the KCO is the rate constant for alveolar carbon mon...

Predicting diffusive alveolar oxygen transfer from carbon monoxide-diffusing capacity in exercising foxhounds.

Although lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DL(CO)) is a widely used test of diffusive O2 transfer, few studies have directly related DL(CO) to O2-diffusing capacity (DL(O2)); none has used the components of Dl(CO), i.e., conductance of alveolar membrane and capillary blood, to predict DL(O2) from rest to exercise. To understand the relationship between DL(CO) and DL(O2) at matched le...

Adjusting diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide for haemoglobin level.

The joint statements on lung function testing by the American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS) Task Force provided useful recommendations for standardisation of the tests in daily practice [1]. However, the equations for adjusting diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DL,CO) for the haemoglobin (Hb) level (equations 13 and 14 in the original document) may ...