Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity Flashcards
What are the two types of repsiratory insufficiency?
- Adequate Ventilation
- Inadequate Ventilation (Hypoventilation)
- What two processes can lead to inadequate ventilation (hypoventilation)?
- What can these processes lead to?
-
Obstructive
- anatomic
- allergic
-
Restrictive
- ↓ lung wall compliance
- elastic tissue
- ↑ surface tension
- ↓ chest wall compliance
- ↓ lung wall compliance
What factors influence the rate of diffusion across the respiratory membrane?
- D = Diffusion rate
- P = Pressure
- S = Solubility
- d = distance
- MW = Molec. wt.
- A = Area
Which factors might contribute to diffusion impairment in the lung?
- Surface area
- Distance (thickness)
- Pressure gradient
- What is the surface area (A) of the lung?
- What is the thickness (d) of the lung membrane?
- A = ~ 80 meters2
- d = ~ 0.6 µ
How is the pressure gradient of O2 different based upon the presence of hemoglobin (Hb)?
-
Without Hb
- PO2: 40 ⇒ 100 mmHg
- Vol O2: 0.18 ml/100 ml
-
With Hb
- PO2: 40 ⇒ 100 mmHg
- Vol O2: 5 ml/100 ml
- Hb is an oxygen sink
- restores the pressure gradient
Anything that affects Hb will also affect the …
rate of diffusion
Why is O2 more susceptible to diffusion impairment than CO2?
CO2 is 20x more soluble in blood than O2 (Henry’s Law)
- SO2 = ~0.03 mL/L/mm Hg
- SCO2 = ~0.6 mL/L/mm Hg
- On average, how many ml of O2 are removed from 100 ml of blood passing through systemic capillaries?
- What is the normal value for cardiac output (CO)?
- What is the normal oxygen requirement in a normal adult at rest (ml O2/min)?
- O2 removed per 100 ml = 5 mL
- CO = 5000 ml
- normal oxygen requirement = 250 ml O2/min
What is diffusion capacity (DL)?
- DL = Diffusing capacity
- D = Diffusion rate
- PA = Alveolar partial pressure
- Pc = Mean capillary partial pressure
- Why can’t the DL for oxygen be measured directly?
- Why is carbon monoxide (CO) used to calculate DL?
- We cannot measure the mean capillary pressure for oxygen
- CO is used instead:
- CO is immediately taken up by Hb (200x greater affinity than O2)
- HbCO is not dissolved in the blood (i.e. Pc = 0)
What is the Steady-State method for measuring DL and what are its advantages?
- Breathe 0.1 - 0.2% CO for 5 to 6 minutes
- Collect expired gas over the last 2 minutes
Advantages:
- more “natural” (physiological)
- easier for persons with lung disease
- can be used during exercise
- sometimes more invasive
What is the Single Breath method for measuring DL and what are its advantages?
- Full VC inspiration of trace CO and reference gas
- 10 second breath-hold, then maximal expiration
Advantages:
- systems for rapid testing and evaluation
- test is more difficult to perform
- values are higher than Steady-state DL
How can the DL for oxygen be derived from the DL for CO?
DLO2 = DLCOx 1.23
- Example: 17 x 1.23 = 21 ml/min/mmHg
Measuring Volume:
- ∆P across mesh screen ⇒
- Flow integrated over time ⇒
- ∆P across mesh screen ⇒ Flow rate
- Flow integrated over time ⇒ Volume