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. 2019 Jan;119(1):227-234.
doi: 10.1007/s00421-018-4018-5. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Exercise testing in patients with cystic fibrosis-importance of ventilatory parameters

Matthew A Tucker  1 , Nichole Lee  1 , Paula Rodriguez-Miguelez  1 , Jacob Looney  1 , Reva H Crandall  1   2 , Caralee Forseen  3 , Kathleen T McKie  2 , Ryan A Harris  4   5
Affiliations

Exercise testing in patients with cystic fibrosis-importance of ventilatory parameters

Matthew A Tucker et al. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2019 Jan.

Abstract

Background: Ventilatory parameters obtained during exercise predict survival in several chronic diseases; however, long-term changes in exercise ventilatory parameters in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have yet to be examined and potential differences between sexes in CF are unknown.

Purpose: We sought to examine the change in exercise ventilatory parameters over time in patients with CF and determine if the change is different between sexes.

Methods: Exercise capacity (VO2 peak) and exercise ventilatory parameters (VE/VO2 peak, VE/VCO2 peak, and VE/VCO2 slope) were determined from a maximal cardio-pulmonary test on a cycle ergometer on two visits separated by 39 ± 16 months in 20 patients with CF (10 female, 10 male).

Results: No differences between sexes were observed at visit 1 (all p > 0.05). Overall, exercise ventilatory parameters significantly (p < 0.05) deteriorated between visits, with no change (p > 0.05) in VO2 peak. Moreover, compared to males, female patients exhibited greater deteriorations in VE/VO2 peak (p = 0.001), VE/VCO2 peak (p = 0.002), and VE/VCO2 slope (p = 0.016) between visits.

Conclusions: These data in patients with CF indicate that exercise ventilatory parameters decline over time despite no change in VO2 peak, and female patients exhibit a more rapid deterioration compared to males.

Keywords: Exercise capacity; Pulmonary function; Ventilatory efficiency.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interest

None to declare.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Individual and mean (inset) changes in the ratio of minute ventilation (VE) to oxygen uptake (VO2) at peak exercise (A), VE to carbon dioxide output (VCO2) at peak exercise (B), and the VE to VCO2 slope (C) in male and female patients between visits 1 and 2. The time between visits (months) are presented with each column for each patient. *significantly greater in females versus males (p≤0.016).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Group changes between visits in FeCO2 at peak exercise (A) and PETCO2 at peak exercise (B). †significant group by time interaction; *significant difference between groups at visit 2 (p=0.017).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Associations between baseline FEV1 (% predicted) and changes in exercise ventilatory parameters (A, B, and C) and between changes in FeCO2 at peak and exercise ventilatory parameters (D, E, and F). Lilac and blue dots indicate female and male patients, respectively.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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