Effects of fever on pulmonary diffusing capacity and pulmonary mechanics in man

Abstract

Measurements of oral temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure, expired minute volume (Ve), respiratory rate (f), O 2 consumption (Vo 2 ), CO 2 excretion (Vco 2 ), breath-holding pulmonary diffusing capacity (Dl CO ), dynamic pulmonary compliance (C dyn ), and total pulmonary resistance were made on six normal adults before and at regular intervals over an 8-hr period following the induction of fever with triple typhoid vaccine. Although Ve, f, Vo 2 increased during the chill, flush, and defervescence phases of fever, there was no significant change in C dyn and total pulmonary resistance. Of interest was the slight, though statistically significant decrease in Dl CO during the flush and defervescence phases. Results suggest a low temperature coefficient for the mechanical properties of the lung in the range studied. The absence of an increased Dl CO during the flush phase of fever when Ve and the cardiac output are known to increase suggests that ventilation and pulmonary blood flow are not important determinants of Dl CO . lung mechanics; ventilation Submitted on February 18, 1963