PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Francesco Costa
AU  - Barbara Vagaggini
AU  - Frank Dini
AU  - Laura Malagrinò
AU  - Sandra Antonelli
AU  - Claudia De Simone
AU  - Gianna De Cusatis
AU  - Sabrina Santerini
AU  - Pierluigi Paggiaro
TI  - Cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) may show initial left cardiac dysfunction in patients with moderate-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
DP  - 2013 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - P2510
VI  - 42
IP  - Suppl 57
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P2510.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P2510.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2013 Sep 01; 42
AB  - Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is usefull to evaluate exercise intolerance in patients with cardio-pulmonary diseases. Cardiovascular comorbidity is frequent in COPD patients and contribute to their exercise limitation.Aim: to assess whether CPET is a sensitive test in detecting initial alterations in cardiac function in COPD patients, as assessed by echocardiography.Methods: we studies 36 COPD patients (mean FEV1: 59.8%) attending to a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program (PRP). Before starting PRP they performed: pulmonary function test, CPET, echocardiography.Results: when patients were divided according to airway obstruction (FEV1> or <50%) or airway hyperinflation (TLC > or < 120%) no significant differences were found in cardiac parameters measured by echocardiography. There were no differences in echocardiography parameters when we divided patients on the basis of peak VO2 obtained at the CPET. When we divided patients on the basis of VE/VCO2 value, those with VE/VCO2 value > 35% had a significantly lower cardiac output and lower stroke volume with respect to subjects with VE/VCO2 value less than 35%View this table:Conclusion: in moderate to severe COPD patients VE/VCO2 is the best parameter for assessing left cardiac dysfunction that contributes to ventilatory inefficiency during exercise.