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).