Arterial blood oxygenation, maximum exercise capacity and oxygen transport in patients before and after autologous peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation

Abstract

Several studies have reported a reduced pulmonary diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide after total body irradiation (TBI) and/or high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) and autologous peripheral blood progenitor transplantation (APBPC). The present study describes the oxygenation of arterial plasma (paO₂), the maximum exercise capacity (Wmax) and maximum oxygen transport (VO₂max) before and after such treatment. Pulmonary gas exchange and paO₂ were measured in 15 patients at maximum dynamic bicycle exercise, performed before and at 8 ± 0.9 (s.e.m.) months after TBI/HDCT (n = 12) and HDCT (n = 3) followed by APBPC. Wmax was 169 ± 14 and 157 ± 15 watts (P > 0.05) before and after therapy, respectively. VO₂max, 1.8 ± 0.1 l/min before treatment, fell to 1.6 ± 0.1 l/min (P < 0.05) after therapy. the maximum exercise pao₂ was 13.2 ± 0.4 kPa before and 13.6 ± 0.4 kPa (P > 0.05) after the treatment period. The findings indicate no significant reduction of Wmax or pulmonary diffusion capacity for O₂ after TBI/HDCT and APBPC while VO₂max fell modestly by approximately 11%. The study was restricted to patients who remained in remission.