Ventilatory dysfunction in bilharzial patients with special reference to bronchospirometry

ABSTRACT

Twenty-sixpatientswithevidenceof urinary and intestinal bilharziasis were the subject of this study.Their bilharzial affection was in various stages of pathologic implication whereby the cases were subdivided into four groups according to the severity of affection. The standard spirometric ventilatory functions showed combined restrictive and obstructive ventilatorydysfunction. Bronchospirometry showed significant reduction of the oxygen uptake and vital capacity particularly in groups III and IV. The right lung was affected more than the left but still had the higher value. The ventilatory equivalent increased with the increase in the severity of the disease; it was more obvious again in the right lung. The minute ventilation showed insignificant decrease with the progress of the disease,there was negative correlation between the presence of the clinical manifestation of pulmonary hypertension, oxygen uptake and vital capacity