Pulmonary Function and Physiology Flashcards
Infant PFT: Formula for R interruptor
Rint = Pmo/V
Pmo = mouth pressure V = tidal flow Rint = interrupter resistance
How many acceptable maneuvers needed for PFT?
minimum of 3
What is the largest difference between FEV1 or FVC allowed?
> 6yr: <0.150L
<6yr: <0.100L
Acceptability criteria for forced maneuvers (8)
1) Must have Best Expiratory Volume ≤ 5% of FVC or 0.100L (whichever is greater)
2) No evidence of faulty zero-flow setting
3) No cough in 1st second of expiration
4) No glottic closure within or after 1st second
5) Must achieve 1 of 3 End of Forced Expiration indicators
6) No evidence of obstructed mouthpiece
7) No evidence of leak
8) FIVC - FVC ≤0.100 or 5% of FVC
What is the Anaerobic Threshold?
The point above which lactate production exceeds removal
Change to anaerobic metabolism after anaerobic threshold
**At AT, VCO2 increases relative to VO2, changes the slope of the line
Indications for exercise test
- Evaluation of exercise tolerance
- Evaluation of undiagnosed exercise intolerance
- Evaluation of CV disease
- Evaluation of respiratory disease
- Specific clinical scenarios:
- Pre-op eval
- Exercise eval and pulmonary rehab
- Eval for impairment and disability
- Eval for transplant
Absolute contraindications for CPET
- Acute MI (3-5 days)
- Unstable angina
- Uncontrolled arrhythmias
- Syncope
- Endocarditis, Myocarditis, Pericarditis
- Heart failure
- Thrombosis of lower extremity
- Pulmonary edema
- RA desat <85%
- Respiratory Failure
Relative contraindications for CPET
- Left main coronary stenosis
- Moderate stenotic valvular heart disease
- Severe HTN
- Tachy/bradyarrhythmias
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Pulmonary HTN
- Advanced or complicated pregnancy
- Electrolyte abnormalities
- Orthopedic impairment
Indications for Spirometry
1) Diagnosis
2) Monitoring
3) Disability/Impairment evaluation
4) Other
- Research
- Surveys
- Derivation of reference values
- Pre-employment
- Health assessment pre-physical activity
Relative contraindications for spirometry
1) Increase in myocardial demand or changes in BP (MI 1 week)
2) Increase in intracranial/intra-ocular pressure (Brain surgery 4 weeks, eye surgery 1 week)
3) Increase in sinus or middle ear pressures
4) Increase in intrathoracic and intra-abdominal pressure
5) Infection control
Indications for Methylcholine challenge
Help determine if current respiratory symptoms may be due to asthma or to make that diagnosis much less likely
Contraindications to methylcholine challenge
1) Airflow limitation (FEV1 <60%)
2) Spirometry quality
3) Cardiovascular problems
4) Cant perform any testing maneuvers properly
5) Pregnant/nursing mothers
6) Use of cholinesterase inhibitor medication
Medications to hold prior to skin testing
1) Anti-histamines (1st = 72 hours, 2nd = 7 days)
2) Topical steroids: 3 weeks
3) TCAs: 7-14 days
4) Benzos: 7 days
5) H2 blockers: 2 days
6) Omalizumab: 6 mos
7) Topical CNI: 7 days
No effect: short term PO steroids (1 week), leukotriene receptor antagonists
What is Aerobic threshold?
60% aerobic capacity + 70% max HR, 80% lactate threshold
Aerobic capacity = VO2 max (plateau where increased work but no change in oxygen uptake)
DLCO2 relative to VO2
VO2 = (HR x SV) x (CaO2 -CvO2)
DLO2 = VO2/AaDO2
What is the forced oscillation technique?
Application of an external pressure (small amplitude oscillations) signal superimposed on spontaneous breathing and measurement of the flow response of the respiratory system
Optimal frequency for forced oscillation technique?
4-8 Hz
Limiting factor for forced oscillation technique
- potential influence of upper airway compliance on respiratory system
- non-cooperation: refusal to use mouthpiece, inability to breathe without leak, difficulty breathing against oscillations
- wide range of health reference data
What is the respiratory exchange ratio?
Ratio of CO2 output to O2 consumption (VCO2/VO2)
Rest = 0.8-0.9
Increased exercise: increased carb utilization = larger fraction of metabolic fuel = increased R
Rapid rise after ventilatory threshold with increased VCO2, also increased after stopping exercise due to decreased VO2
What happens to end-tidal oxygen concentration during hyperventilation phase of exercise?
PETO2 remains relatively constant until the ventilatory threshold (AT) then it increases due to increase in minute and alveolar ventilation
What is the role for NO in the airways?
NO regulates vascular and bronchial tone (dilation), facilitates the coordinated beating of cilia and is a neurotransmitter for non-adrenergic and non-cholinergic neurons in the bronchial wall
Why is nasal NO increased in asthma?
Dual purpose:
1) relaxes bronchial smooth muscle and inhibits pro-inflammatory signaling events
2) can contribute to airway inflammation/injury through formation of toxic reactive nitrogen species
What is the amino acid precursor for NO?
What enzyme produces NO?
Amino acid: L-arginine
Enzyme: nitric oxide synthase
Advantages of allergy skin testing
- more sensitive
- rapid results
- able to visualize reaction
- wider variety of allergens
3 components to a diagnosis of an IgE-mediated allergic disorder
1) Identification of possible culprit through history
2) Demonstration of IgE-specific to the allergens by skin testing or in-vitro testing
3) Determination that exposure to the allergen results in sx
Advantages of RAST testing
- No risk of anaphylaxis
- No need to withhold medications
- Not affected by skin integrity or skin disease
Definitions of Acceptability, Usability and Reproducibility with PFTs
Acceptability: objective technical parameters for a maneuver to decide if there was maximal effort and FEV1/FVC are acceptable
Usability: If not acceptable, it may be best effort and they may be clinically usable
Reproducible: comparing between maneuvers
What is back extrapolated volume?
= volume of gas exhaled before time 0
Found by drawing a line with a slope equal to peak flow through the point of peak flow on the volume-time curve and setting time 0 to the intersection of time access
<5% FVC or <0.100L (whichever is greater)
too high = not max effort
In spirometry, does coughing in the first second affect FEV1, FVC or both?
FEV1 only
3 criteria for end of forced expiration (need 1)
1) Plateau < 0.025L/s change x 1 sec (most reliable)
2) Forced exhalation time of 15 seconds
3) If no plateau, judge if same FVC consistently achieved (FVC ≥ to repeatability tolerance of largest FVC within same testing)
What aspects of quality control are needed for a PFT lab?
- Daily calibration verification at low, medium, high flows
- Recalibrate often
- Daily inspection for displacement of piston stop
- Daily check of smooth operation of syringe
- Accuracy of ± 0.015L
- Monthly syringe leak test
- Documentation
PFT coaching for children
- Enthusiastic
- Detailed, simple instructions
- No intimidation
- Visual feedback
- May be ok to do more than 8 manuevers
- May benefit from practicing each step
- < 6, may be able to get acceptable FEV0.75
4 ways to look for Anaerobic Threshold
Point at which lactic acid production > lactic acid removal
1) VCO2/VO2: VCO2 increases faster and crosses VO2 line
2) VCO2/VO2: slope becomes steeper
3) RER >1
4) VEqO2 suddenly increases
Equation for Residual Volume (RV)
TLC - VC
What is Functional residual capacity?
How much volume is left after a normal breath, dependent on chest recoil and lung recoil
Normal resting volume of the respiratory system
What are the 2 opposing forces that make up FRC?
1) Lung elastic recoil
2) Chest wall recoil
What is lung elastic recoil?
Static recoil (stiffer requires more pressure), gets worse with age (FRC increases with age)
What is chest wall recoil?
Outward recoil (negative pressure relative to the lung, more chest wall expands, stretches the lung)
What is PAlv equal to at FRC?
0
How do the lungs change with respect to elastic recoil in pulmonary fibrosis?
Increased elastic recoil (stiff lungs) -> FRC goes down
How do the lungs change with COPD?
Increased compliance, decreased elastic recoil - FRC increased
What is compliance?
Measure of distensibility of matter and specifies the ease with which matter can be stretched or distorted
Equation for pulmonary compliance?
Lung Compliance (C) = Change in Lung Volume (V) / Change in Transpulmonary Pressure {Alveolar Pressure (Palv) – Pleural Pressure (Ppl)}
What happens to the lungs and chest wall with a pneumothorax?
The lung and chest wall go to their relaxation volumes
Lung = ~0% TLC
Chest wall = ~66% of TLC
Equation for trans-respiratory system pressure
Ptcw + Ptp = Ppl + Pst = Palv
Equation for trans-pulmonary pressure
Palv-Ppl = Pst (static recoil pressure, always positive)
(Pst+Ppl) - Ppl = Pst
Equation for trans-chest wall pressure
Ppl-Patm = Ppl (pleural pressure)
The compliance of the respiratory system intersects the 0 pressure line at which point?
FRC
Factors that determine compliance
1) Tissue composition
2) Surface tension forces and fluid lining the alveoli
How does age affect FRC?
FRC increases with age
How does obesity affect FRC
FRC decreases with obesity
What is dead space?
Ventilation of lung areas which are unable to exchange gases with the blood
What is anatomical dead space?
Ventilation of airways which are anatomically unsuited for exchanging gases with the blood
What is alveolar dead space?
Ventilation of alveoli which have no capillary blood flow thus they cannot exchange gases
What is physiological dead space?
All dead space in the lungs (anatomical + alveolar)
Equation for minute ventilation
Tidal volume x resp rate
Equation for alveolar ventilation
Total ventilation - anatomic dead space
What happens to PaCO2 if alveolar ventilation is halved?
alveolar and arterial CO2 will double
What is the normal volume for anatomic dead space
150 mls
What changes the anatomic dead space
Increases with large inspirations because of traction/pull exerted on the bronchi by surrounding lung parenchyma
Changes depending on size and posture of the subject
What is the Bohr equation?
VD/VT = (FACO2 - FECO2)/FACO2
What is the Bohr equation for alveolar dead space?
VD/VT = (PaCO2-PETCO2)/PaCO2
What is the partial pressure of a gas equal to?
Fraction of the gas x pressure (barometric-water)
eg. PACO2 = FACO2 (PB-47)
What is the alveolar ventilation equation?
PACO2 = (VCO2/VA) x 0.863
What happens to anatomical, alveolar, and physiological dead space during exercise, compared to rest?
Anatomical: no change
Alveolar: less (exercise = capillary recruitment)
Physiological: less
What happens to anatomical, alveolar, and physiological dead space when going from sitting to supine position?
Anatomical: less (presses on airway and makes it narrow)
Alveolar: less
Physiological: less
What is the equation for Reynolds number and what does it mean?
RN = [2 (radius) (density of gas) (velocity of gas)]/viscosity of gas
Determines is flow is laminar or turbulent (larger the number, the more likely to be turbulent)
Where within the lung would you be most likely to get turbulent flow?
The larger airways
What is the equation for airway resistance?
AR = [ 8(Viscosity) (length)]/pi (radius^4)
If you increase the radius, you dramatically reduce the resistance (smaller airways = sum of each part of the generation)
What is the role of surfactant protein A, B, C and D? (R)
A and D: innate immune function
B and C: enhance adsorption (how all the components are organized to form a thin film) and organizes lipids (which are also a component of surfactant
Is ABCA3 a component of surfactant? If not, what is it’s role? (R)
ABCA-3 is NOT a component of surfactant.
It’s literally part of the membrane of lamellar bodies, which are the organelle in which all surfactant components (so protein like SP-B, lipids and phospholipids) are stored before they make their way to the cell surface and then alveoli. ABCA-3 also helps with transporting phospholipids into lamellar bodies (recall that phospholipids make up 80% of surfactant)
What is a lamellar body? (R)
A storage organelle for surfactant components
What components are involved in clearing surfactant? (R)
Surfactant is degraded in both alveolar epithelial cells AND macrophages. On macrophages, GM-CSF attaches to it’s corresponding receptor (2 subunits: CSF2RA, CSF2RB). (There is also recycling of surfactant in the alveolar epithelial cells–especially important for infants with RDS who get exogenous surfactant, which they recycle, before endogenous surfactant production kicks in)
In which cells is surfactant produced? (R)
Type 2 alveolar epithelial cells
Is NKX2.1 a component of surfactant? If not, why does it cause surfactant disorders? (R)
No, it’s not a component of surfactant. It is a transcription factor that is needed for transcription of ABCA3, SP-B, SP-C. It’s also expressed in other tissue like thyroid and CNS (basal ganglia)
What is the purpose of surfactant? (R)
- Reduces surface tension at the air liquid interface and prevents collapse of alveoli at the end of expiration
- Less surface tension means less work of breathing
- Innate host defence and injury response
What are potential complications of high fiO2? (R)
- Absorptive atelectasis
- Bad for patients with hypoventilation–>decrease hypoxic respiratory drive
- Reactive oxygen species, so very bad for preterm infants and can get more lung injury, retinal injury
How does work of breathing change in moderate obstructive disease
Normal elastic work
Increased inspiratory resistive work
Markedly increased expiratory resistive work
Active expiratory work
Work of breathing in severe asthma
Increased elastic work due to hyperinflation
Increased inspiratory resistive work
++++++ Expiratory resistive work
Active expiratory work
Work of breathing in pulmonary fibrosis
Increased elastic work
Normal inspiratory and expiratory resistive work
No expiratory work
Why do patients with stiff lungs (ie. pulmonary fibrosis) breathe with lower tidal volumes?
Decreasing the tidal volume drops the elastic work (dropping TV by half drops work by 1/4) but you increase the dead space so need to breathe faster to keep up alveolar ventilation
3 jobs of the pulmonary circulation
1) Gas exchange (maximize diffusion)
2) Filtration (only other organ that gets all the blood pumped from the heart)
3) Blood reservoir
List 5 factors that affect diffusion as per Fick’s law
Diffusion= (surface area/thickness) x diffusion coefficient x (P1-P2)
- Surface area
- Thickness of the alveolar-capillary diffusion barrier
- Solubility of the gas
- Molecular weight of the gas
- Partial pressure difference
Which zone do you get the most blood flow?
The bottom (least resistance)
At which point in the breathing cycle is pulmonary vascular resistance at its lowest?
At FRC (decreases from RV to FRC and increases after to TLC) Capillary thins out and artery gets bigger with bigger lung volumes
Where is relation to the airways are the pulmonary arteries?
Parallel to the airways (also the lymphatics)
What is the purpose of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction?
Acts to divert blood away from hypoxic regions to ventilated regions to improve V/Q matching
Which area of the lung is least compliant?
Top (due to gravity)
More expanded already at the top - when you breathe in, air wants to go to more compliant zones - bottom distends more than the top
Which area of the lung is the most ventilated?
Bottom (plus more perfused down there too)
How does the V/Q matching change within the lung?
The V/Q ratio increases from bottom to top (top has lots of ventilation but limited perfusion)
What is an ideal V/Q relationship?
1
How does a nitrogen washout work?
Used to test uniformity of gas distribution. Greater slope = greater inhomogeneity
The subject inspires a single breath of pure oxygen from RV to TLC (inspiratory VC maneuver). At end-inspiration, the dead space is filled with oxygen that has just been inspired.
Phase 1: 0% nitrogen (gas is from conducting airways)
Phase 2: sigmoid curve upwards - gas from dead space and alveoli
Phase 3: slope indicates almost constant nitrogen concentration in alveolar gas. Expect horizontal in healthy lung with evenly distributed oxygen/nitrogen
Phase 4: small spike as bottom airways close (closing volume)
Equation for PiO2
PiO2 = FiO2 x (PB -47)
Sea level, PB = 760
Abbreviated Alveolar Gas Equation
PAO2 = PIO2 - [PACO2/R]
Full Alveolar Gas Equation
PAO2 = PIO2 - [PACO2/R] + FiO2 X PACO2 x (1-R/R)
5 causes of hypoxemia
1) Low inspired FiO2
2) Hypoventilation
3) Shunt
4) V/Q mismatch
5) Diffusion limitation
Definition of a shunt
Perfusion without ventilation
Blood that enters the arterial system without going through ventilated areas of the lung - drops arterial PO2, cannot be fixed with 100% O2
Normal physiologic shunt value
1-2%
Do shunts increase PCO2 in arterial blood?
No, even though the shunted blood has lots of CO2, the chemoreceptors sense the elevation of arterial CO2 and respond by increasing ventilation (reduces the CO2 of unshunted blood until the level is normal)
Most common cause of hypoxemia?
V/Q mismatch
With airway obstruction, how does the V/Q ratio change?
O2 will fall and CO2 will rise and the O2 and CO2 of the alveolar gas and end-capillary blood will be the same as mixed venous blood (decreased V/Q)
With obstruction in blood flow, how does the V/Q ratio change?
O2 rises and CO2 falls, eventually reaching the composition of inspired gas when blood flow is abolished (O2 is the same as inspired gas - increased ratio)
How does distribution of lung blood flow change with exercise?
Distribution of blood flow becomes more uniform and the apex assumes a larger share of O2