Exercise oxygen desaturation and DLCO: Are they correlated?

OBJETIVE. To determinate if echocardiographics variables and pulmonary function tests (PFT) are related to exercise oxygen desaturation using a 6 minutes walking-test (6mWT), in three groups: Pulmonary Hypertension (HP), Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) and Combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE). METHODS. Retrospective analysis of PFT, 6mWT and echocardiographics parameters, from the moment closer to diagnosis. RESULTS. 14 patients PH: 13 under group I and 1 under group IV. 10 patients ILD: 4NINE, 4UIP, 1NCO and 1DIP. 8 patients CPFE. Functional and echocardiographics values in figure1. ![Figure][1] Globally, DLCO was not related to exercise oxygen desaturation in none of the groups. Separately, in PH's group exercise oxygen desaturation was correlated to RightVentricule/RightAtrium gradient (RV/RA) by echocardiograph (spearman's rho -0,630 p 0,038). In ILD's group there was an association between alveolar gas volume (VA) and exercise oxygen desaturation (correlation -0,664 p 0,026) and also between total lung capacity (TLC) (r 0,648 p 0,043). In CPFE group, there was no relation between none of the parameters studied. CONCLUSIONS: 1.DLCO was not associated to exercise oxygen desaturation in none of the three groups included under our study. 2.In patients diagnosed of PH there was a relation between exercise oxygen desaturation and RV/RA. 3.In patients with ILD, the functional parameter that could better predict exercise oxygen desaturation would be VA. [1]: pending:yes