Pulmonary diffusing capacity in man during immersion in water

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Abstract
During immersion in water to the neck, seven seated resting normal subjects showed, without exception in 14 trials, an increase in diffusing capacity of the lung (DlCO) which averaged 16.2 ± 0.79 sd % of the control (unimmersed) values (P < 0.001). At an intermediate depth of immersion at which the calculated hydrostatic pressure (gauge) was approximately halved, the rise in DlCO was also halved. The hemodynamic readjustment to external pressure was completed within a few minutes, since no further change in DlCO occurred during continuous immersion to the neck for as long as 90 min. Immersion produced a rise in “permeability” of the lung (Kco) which was on the average 5.8% greater than that in DlCO. In three subjects the pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc) rose on the average 47% at the deeper level of immersion, suggesting that, as in the pressure suit, the rise in DlCO was due to pulmonary vascular engorgement. pulmonary vascular engorgement Submitted on July 6, 1964

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