Differences in gas exchange between severities of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Impaired ventilation on cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) is seen in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, evaluation of the differences of abnormal gas exchange in COPD according to GOLD severity criteria is limited. A retrospective review was performed on all COPD patients referred for CPET at our center between 1998 and 2010. There were 548 patients compared according to GOLD severity. GOLD groups were significantly different from each other in regards to pressure of end-tidal carbon dioxide ( [Formula: see text] ) with progressively higher [Formula: see text] with increasing GOLD severity. Ratio of minute ventilation to carbon dioxide production ( [Formula: see text] ) and exercise capacity as measured by and [Formula: see text] % and work rate in watts% was inversely proportional to GOLD severity. Breathing reserve, minute ventilation, and tidal volume at peak exercise were significantly decreased with increasing disease severity between GOLD groups. We concluded that gas exchange is distinctive among different GOLD severity groups; specifically, GOLD 3 and 4 have a significantly higher [Formula: see text] and a significantly lower [Formula: see text] than GOLD 2.