Pulmonary physiologic changes of morbid obesity

Objective: Our objective was to study the effects of extreme obesity on pul monary function tests and the effects of smoking on these variables in a po pulation group larger than has previously been reported. Design: Retrospect ive data analysis. Setting: Academic medical center. Patients: Forty-three patients with extreme obesity [ratio of weighs in kilograms to height in ce ntimeters greater than 0.9 (W/H)] who underwent pulmonary function testing at Cedars-Sinai on an out-patient or in-patient basis during the period of 1979 to 1997. Measurements and Results: Patients underwent standard pulmona ry function testing. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on the W /H ratio: group A (0.9-0.99) and group B (greater than 1.0). Chart review w as performed to identify pertinent history/co-morbidities. The independent effects of smoking between each group's patients were assessed. Forced vita l capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), expiratory r eserve volume (ERV), functional residual capacity (FRC), maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), and forced expiratory flow during midexpiratory phase (F EF25-75%) were significantly reduced in both groups. Single-breath diffusin g capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) and the volume of gas into which the single-breath of carbon monoxide and helium was diluted were not elevated. Smoking did not account for the results in group A but did seem to partiall y explain the decrease in FVC, FEV1, and FEF25-75% in group B. Conclusions: Extreme obesity is associated with a reduction in ERV, FVC, FEV1, FRC, FEF 25-75%, and MVV. However, contrary to prior reports, DLCO is not elevated. These effects are only partially explained by smoking.