Objective: To study the relationship of resting pulmonary function to maximal exercise power output (Wmax) in obstructive lung disease (OLD).
Setting: University Hospital Pulmonary Function Laboratory.
Subjects: Twenty-five patients with OLD (6 with asthma and 19 with COPD).
Methods: Measurement of pulmonary lung function, resting arterial blood gases, and maximal symptom-limited exercise on a cycle ergometer.
Results and conclusions: In OLD, the only significant contributor to Wmax was the inspiratory capacity (r2 = 0.66; p < 0.001).