Nitrogen single-breath washout test for evaluating exercise tolerance and quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) traditionally used in clinical practice do not accurately predict exercise intolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to assess whether the nitrogen single-breath washout (N(2)SBW) test explains exercise intolerance and poor quality of life in stable COPD patients. This cross-sectional study included 31 patients with COPD subjected to PFTs (including the N(2)SBW test) and a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). Patients were also evaluated using the following questionnaires: the COPD assessment test (CAT), the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF36) and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Peak oxygen uptake (peak VO(2)) was negatively correlated with the phase III slope of the N(2)SBW (SIII(N2)) (r=-0.681, P<0.0001) and positively correlated with forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1); r=0.441, P=0.013). Breathing reserve was negatively correlated with SIII(N2), closing volume/vital capacity, and residual volume (RV) (r=-0.799, P<0.0001; r=-0.471, P=0.007; r=-0.401, P=0.025, respectively) and positively correlated with FEV(1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV(1)/FVC (r=0.721; P<0.0001; r=0.592, P=0.0004; r=0.670, P<0.0001, respectively). SIII(N2) and CAT were independently predictive of VO(2) and breathing reserve at peak exercise. RV, FVC, and FEV(1) were independently predictive of the SF36-physical component summary, SF36-mental component summary, and breathing reserve, respectively. The SGRQ did not present any independent variables that could explain the model. In stable COPD patients, inhomogeneity of ventilation explains a large degree of exercise intolerance assessed by CPETs and, to a lesser extent, poor quality of life.