Results
Based on the severity of the deformity, the patients in our cohort were divided into two groups - a group of patients with PE with AI below 0.12 and a group of patients with PE with AI 0.12 and more. A total of 15 patients were enrolled in the below 0.12 group and the mean AI was 0.09 ± 0.02 and in the 0.12 and more group, 15 patients were enrolled, and the mean AI was 0.17 ± 0.05. No statistically significant differences were found in the observed height, weight, BMI and age. The basic characteristics of examined patients are displayed in Table 1.
The results obtained by protocol examination of patients with PE are summarized in Table 2. Patients with less severe deformity achieved AT at higher load, but the severity of deformity did not correlate with the level of this load or with VO2 at the time of achieving AT. The peak load was insignificantly higher in patients with milder deformity (4.35 vs 4.16 W / kg; p > 0.05). Peak oxygen consumption expressed as VO2peak/kg did not correlate with AI and no statistically significant changes were observed in the comparison groups (39.71 vs 40.07 ml / kg / min; p> 0.05) (Graph 1). O2Pulse was statistically insignificantly higher in patients with milder deformity (13.84 vs 12.88 ml/beat; p> 0.05). Ventilation efficiency was higher in patients with milder deformity (27.29 vs 29.78; p> 0.05) (Graph 2). No statistically significant differences in respiratory rate, tidal volume, respiratory reserve, and expiratory flow limitation were observed between patients based on the severity of the deformity. A weak correlation was observed between the severity of the deformity and the OUES parameter (r = - 0.33; p> 0.05) (Graph 3).