Type 1 Diabetes Duration Decreases Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity during Exercise

• Published in: Respiration Vol. 91; no. 2; pp. 164 - 170
• Main Authors: Lee, Michelle J., Coast, J. Richard, Hempleman, Steven C., Baldi, J. Christopher
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland S. Karger AG 01.02.2016
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Basic Science Investigations; Cardiac output; Care and treatment; Case-Control Studies; Child; Complications and side effects; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - physiopathology; Exercise; Exercise - physiology; Female; Humans; Male; Observations; Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity; Pulmonary ventilation; Respiration; Respiratory tract diseases; Risk factors; Type 1 diabetes; Young Adult; United States; Exercise; Cardiac output; Pulmonary diffusing capacity; Altitude; Type 1 diabetes mellitus
• ISSN: 0025-7931; 1423-0356
• DOI: 10.1159/000443181

Background: Diabetes damages peripheral tissues; however, its effects on the lung are less known. Lung diffusing capacity (D LCO ) is influenced by alveolar-capillary membrane conductance (D M ) and pulmonary capillary blood volume (V C ), both of which are reduced in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Objective: We sought to determine if diabetes duration affects D LCO , D M , V C , and cardiac output (Q). Methods: 24 T1D patients (10.7-52.8 years) and 24 non-diabetic controls were recruited and had D LCO , D M , V C , and Q measured at rest and during exercise (40, 70 and 90% VO 2 max). Results: When stratified into two groups based on age (young, <20.6 years old), there were no significant differences in D LCO , D M , V C , or Q (all of which were normalized to body surface area [BSA]) in the young group or in the old group. When stratified by diabetes duration (short duration, 0.33-8.9 years vs. long duration, 9.6-28 years), the T1D patients in the long duration group had lower D LCO /BSA and D M /BSA compared to the controls (p < 0.05). There were no differences in any of the variables in the short duration group. Conclusions: This study has shown that duration of diabetes is associated with decrements in diffusing capacity and its components.