Original Paper

Diabetes mellitus and Lung Function
Mary S. Boulbou^a, Konstantinos I. Gourgoulianis^a, Vasilios K. Klisiaris^b, Thomas S. Tsikrikas^c, Nikolaos E. Stathakis^c, P.A. Molyvdas^a

Departments of
^aPhysiology,
^bInternal Medicine, Larissa General Hospital, and
^cInternal Medicine, University Hospital of Larissa, Medical School, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece

Address of Corresponding Author

Med Princ Pract 2003;12:87-91 (DOI: 10.1159/000069118)

  Key Words

• Diabetes mellitus
• Lung diffusing capacity
• Pulmonary volumes

  Abstract

Objectives: To assess the nature of pulmonary dysfunction in type 1 diabetes and the relationship of pulmonary function tests to diabetic factors and complication. Subjects and Methods: Sixteen type 1 diabetic patients and 26 control subjects matched for age and sex were studied. We performed spirometry measurements and measured pulmonary diffusing capacity (DL_CO) in sitting and supine position by the single-breath method corrected by alveolar volume (VA). Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA_Ic), retinopathy and microalbuminuria were included as parameters of metabolic control and diabetic complications. Results: Diabetic patients showed a significant reduction of the following pulmonary function tests (% predicted value) as compared with control subjects: total lung capacity (TLC, 92.6 ± 14.5 vs. 113.9 ± 17.5, p < 0.001), lung diffusing capacity in sitting position (DL_CO, 90.4 ± 21.1 vs. 107.7 ± 15.6, p = 0.004), lung diffusing capacity in supine position (DL_CO, 88.3 ± 19.3 vs. 111.9 ± 19.9, p = 0.001). The differences in diffusing capacity corrected by alveolar volume in sitting and supine position (DL_CO/VA) were not significant. By changing the posture from sitting to supine position both diabetic patients and control subjects significantly increased DL_CO/VA (103.4 ± 17.7 vs. 112.7 ± 22.3, p = 0.046 and 99.5 ± 13.4 vs. 114.4 ± 13, p < 0.001, respectively). There was no correlation between pulmonary function tests and diabetic complications. Conclusion: These data indicate that type 1 diabetic patients showed reduced TLC and DL_CO, features of pulmonary restrictive dysfunction. There was no correlation between abnormal pulmonary function and the presence of other diabetic complications.

Copyright © 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

K.I. Gourgoulianis
Associate Professor of Physiology, Respiratory Department
Medical School, University of Thessaly, 22 Papakyriazi
GR-41222 Larissa (Greece)
Tel. +30 2410 682898, Fax +30 2410 670240, E-Mail kgourg@med.uth.gr

  Article Information

Received: April 6, 2002
Revised: October 8, 2002
Number of Print Pages : 5
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 31