PULMONARY GAS-EXCHANGE IN ASYMPTOMATIC SMOKERS AND NONSMOKERS

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  • 1 January 1975
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 56  (5) , 233-244
Abstract
Pulmonary gas exchange was studied in 14 healthy smokers and 16 healthy nonsmokers (mean age: 36 yr) breathing hypoxic, normoxic and hyperoxic gas mixtures, in a sitting position, at rest and during exercise. Alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference [(A-a)D02] is increased in smokers in hypoxia, at rest and during exercise, and the pulmonary diffusing capacity for oxygen is decreased. In normoxia [(A-a)D02] is increased during exercise. There is no difference between the 2 groups in hyperoxia. For the whole group there exists a negative relationship between (A-a)D02 in normoxia and the diffusion indices measured during exercise. Arterio-alveolar CO2 tension difference and the ratio physiological dead space/tidal volume are almost identical in both groups in any condition. A diffusion defect seems to be the more constant alteration of gas exchange in asymptomatic smokers.

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