Is it useful to perform carbon monoxide diffusion capacity and respiratory muscle function tests in patients with multiple sclerosis without disability?

Abstract

DL(CO) and MEP may be impaired in RRMS patients without disability.

Respiratory impairment in multiple sclerosis: a study of respiratory function in wheelchair‐bound patients

“…Furthermore, in ambulatory patients with MS, Carvalho et al . observed an association between decreased DL CO and fatigue but did not determine whether DL CO reduction was an indicator of early incomplete alveolar expansion . Respiratory muscle training programs have been mainly studied in patients with mild to moderate neurological impairment with a stabilization or an improvement of lung function and/or MIP and MEP .…”

“…Neurological fatigue in MS has been linked to respiratory impairment in ambulatory patients [4] but its improvement after respiratory muscle training [31] remains controversial [32,33]. Furthermore, in ambulatory patients with MS, Carvalho et al [34] observed an association between decreased DL CO and fatigue but did not determine whether DL CO reduction was an indicator of early incomplete alveolar expansion [34,35]. Respiratory muscle training programs have been mainly studied in patients with mild to moderate neurological impairment with a stabilization or an improvement of lung function and/or MIP and MEP [31,36,37].…”

Muscular, cardiac, ventilatory and metabolic dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis: Implications for screening, clinical care and endurance and resistance exercise therapy, a scoping review

“…In the clinical evaluation of pwMS lung function anomalies are often overlooked or not closely evaluated, notwithstanding the greater likelihood for the development of severe lung complications in these patients [88]. Many pwMS may experience a reduced pulmonary/respiratory inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength and/or diffusion capacity, collectively leading to an impaired pulmonary function, even at the early onset of MS [89][90][91][92][93][94]. In addition, pwMS with a higher level of disability have lower pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength than less disabled patients and healthy controls [91].…”

Year in review 2012: Acute lung injury, interstitial lung diseases, sleep and physiology

“…However, whether lung function is impaired in MS patients without disability had previously not been study. Carvalho and colleagues investigated this question in 27 individuals with relapsing–remitting MS without disability compared with healthy controls and demonstrated that spirometry was normal in both groups. However, 56% of patients had reduced maximal expiratory pressures and mean DL CO was significantly reduced in MS patients (78 %pred ) compared with controls (89 %pred ).…”