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Figure 4 | BMC Pulmonary Medicine

Figure 4

From: Assessment of the alveolar volume when sampling exhaled gas at different expired volumes in the single breath diffusion test

Figure 4

Graphic representation of the relation between the mean values of alveolar volume, calculated by the quintile method, and those of the corresponding DLCO, in healthy individuals (panel A) and in COPD patients (panel B), at different expired volumes. The alveolar volume does not show any remarkable change when related to the expired volume in healthy individuals (only 300 ml), at variance with those of COPD patients. In addition, DLCO decreases by 1.5 mmol/min/mmHg with respect to the slight changes of the alveolar volume in healthy individuals, whereas it increases by less than 1 mmol/min/mmHg for a total increase of 2.5 litres of alveolar volume in COPD patients from TLC to RV.

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BMC Pulmonary Medicine

ISSN: 1471-2466

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