Status of Plasma Lactate and Dissolved Gases in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Effects of Rehabilitation Exercise

Abstract

Background: In Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients doing strenuous work or exercise, characteristic biochemical change occur which is the development of anaerobic status, dyspnea, leading to accumulation of Lactate and production of CO2.  

Aim: Present study described estimation of lactate, and pressure of blood gases (O2 and CO2) in COPD patients undergoing O2 assisted and non-assisted pulmonary rehabilitation exercises. Materials and Methods: Fifteen COPD patients for both non-assisted and O2 assisted pulmonary rehabilitation studies were selected, aged 27-42 yrs. In non assisted exercise group, all subjects performed treadmill walks with interval and blood was collected at specified time lines. In O2 assisted study, performed after gap of one day, all subjects performed walks, with O2 assistance started at 15^th minutes after start of exercise, with 20 minutes interval between the two, and blood was collected at specified time lines. PCO2, PO2, pH and HCO3 and lactate were analyzed by standards methods. Data were analyzed and compared pre, intra and post exercise in both groups using SPSS ver 22.0 (USA) with level of significance <0.05.  

Results: In both groups of exercising COPD patients, it was noted that the group without O2 assistance, Lactate and dissolved gases concentration are higher as compared to the group with O2 assistance,   exhibiting compensatory viable intervention of O2 assistance in pulmonary and metabolic system of the exercising individuals

Conclusion: This has been concluded that assistance with extra O2 supply not only compensates and /or counteracts pulmonary dysfunctions, limitations, but also cause lungs to perform better by resisting acidic environment (production of lactate), alterations in pCO2, pO2 and removing radical components.