TY - JOUR T1 - Response to physical exercise in sarcoidosis JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 40 IS - Suppl 56 SP - P3615 AU - Katarzyna Hildebrand AU - Tadeusz Przybylowski AU - Marta Maskey-Warzechowska AU - Joanna Wiwala AU - Ryszarda Chazan Y1 - 2012/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P3615.abstract N2 - The aim of this study was to analyze the response to exercise in untreated patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis. We recruited 39 patients (15 females) at mean age 39±9 years to undergo lung function testing (spirometry, bodyplethysmography, CO diffusing capacity) and symptom limited cardiopulmonary exercise test on a treadmill. Histological confirmation of sarcoidosis was obtained in 64% of patients; on the basis of radiologic findings 37% of patients were diagnosed with stage I, 51% with stage II and 11% with stages III and IV. Muscle fatigue was the main reason for exercise termination (82% of patients), followed by ECG abnormalities, blood pressure increase or vertigo and dyspnea reported by 10% and 5% of patients, respectively. Decreased exercise tolerance (defined as V'O2max < 82% of predicted) was diagnosed in 15 (38%). V'O2max in patients with decreased exercise tolerance was significantly lower than in patients with normal response to exercise (32.6±7.8 vs 27.6±6.6 ml O2/kg/min; p<0.05). Patients with impaired response also had a lower PaO2 at peak exercise (87.8±18.5 vs 100.1±7.6 mmHg; p< 0.05) and widened alveolar-capillary oxygen gradient (17.5±10.1 vs 7.9±8.1 mmHg; p<0.05). Some significant correlations between V'O2max and FEV1 % pred. (r=0.40; p<0.05), FVC % pred. (r=0.43; p=0.008), RV/TLC (r=-0.41; p<0.01) were also noted.Conclusions. Impaired exercise tolerance can affect up to 40% of patients with sarcoidosis. Lower PaO2 and widened alveolar-capillary oxygen gradient suggest an important role of gas exchange abnormalities in the pathogenesis of impaired response to exercise. ER -