Key result
Morbid obesity linked to decreased lung volumes and arterial oxygen tension despite normal routine spirometry.
Why the study?
Do measurements of lung volumes provide a more complete evaluation of pulmonary function than routine spirometry alone in morbidly obese patients before jejunoileal bypass?
Do measurements of lung volumes provide a more complete evaluation of pulmonary function than routine spirometry alone in morbidly obese patients before jejunoileal bypass?
Measurements of lung volumes (functional residual capacity, expiratory reserve volume, and residual volume) are more useful than routine spirometry alone for evaluating the mass loading effect of obesity on pulmonary function.
Clinicians should not rely on routine spirometry alone in morbidly obese patients; confirms added value of lung volume measurements for complete evaluation.
The pulmonary function of 85 morbidly obese patients was evaluated prior to jejunoileal bypass surgery. All patients were ambulatory, were performing daily routine activities, and had no discernible cardiopulmonary disease. Although the results of spirometry were essentially normal, there was a significant decrease in arterial oxygen tension. In 8 of these patients studies of lung volumes revealed that functional residual capacity, expiratory reserve volume, and residual volumes were all significantly decreased. Routine spirometry and arterial blood gas analysis alone did not provide a complete evaluation of the mass loading effect of obesity. Measurements of functional residual capacity, expiratory reserve volume, and residual volume were more useful.
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Tsueda et al. (1979) studied this question. Morbidly obese patients exhibited significantly decreased arterial oxygen tension, functional residual capacity, expiratory reserve volume, and residual volume despite normal routine spirometry.
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