Inhaled nitric oxide improves ventilatory efficiency and exercise capacity in patients with mild COPD: A randomized‐control cross‐over trial

Key points Patients with mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have an elevated ventilatory equivalent to CO 2 production ( / ) during exercise, secondary to increased dead space ventilation. The reason for the increased dead space is unclear, although pulmonary microvascular dysfunction and the corresponding capillary hypoperfusion is a potential mechanism. Despite emerging evidence that mild COPD is associated with pulmonary microvascular dysfunction, limited research has focused on experimentally modulating the pulmonary microvasculature during exercise in mild COPD. The present study sought to examine the effect of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO), a selective pulmonary vasodilator, on / , dyspnoea and exercise capacity in patients with mild COPD. Experimental iNO increased peak oxygen uptake in mild COPD, secondary to reduced / and dyspnoea. This is the first study to demonstrate that experimental manipulation of the pulmonary circulation alone, can positively impact dyspnoea and exercise capacity in mild COPD. Abstract Patients with mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have an exaggerated ventilatory response to exercise, contributing to dyspnoea and exercise intolerance. Previous research in mild COPD has demonstrated an elevated ventilatory equivalent to CO 2 production ( / ) during exercise, secondary to increased dead space ventilation. The reason for the increased dead space is unclear, although pulmonary microvascular dysfunction and the corresponding capillary hypoperfusion is a potential mechanism. The present study tested the hypothesis that inhaled nitric oxide (iNO), a selective pulmonary vasodilator, would lower / and dyspnoea, and improve exercise capacity in patients with mild COPD. In this multigroup randomized‐control cross‐over study, 15 patients with mild COPD (FEV 1 = 89 ± 11% predicted) and 15 healthy controls completed symptom‐limited cardiopulmonary exercise tests while breathing normoxic gas or 40 ppm iNO. Compared with placebo, iNO significantly increased peak oxygen uptake (1.80 ± 0.14 vs . 1.53 ± 0.10 L·min –1 , P < 0.001) in COPD, whereas no effect was observed in controls. At an equivalent work rate of 60 W, iNO reduced / by 3.8 ± 4.2 units ( P = 0.002) and dyspnoea by 1.1 ± 1.2 Borg units ( P < 0.001) in COPD, whereas no effect was observed in controls. Operating lung volumes and oxygen saturation were unaffected by iNO in both groups. iNO increased peak oxygen uptake in COPD, secondary to reduced / and dyspnoea. These data suggest that mild COPD patients demonstrate pulmonary microvascular dysfunction that contributes to increased / , dyspnoea and exercise intolerance. This is the first study to demonstrate that experimental manipulation of the pulmonary circulation alone, can positively impact dyspnoea and exercise capacity in mild COPD.