Dynamic Hyperinflation Correlates with Exertional Oxygen Desaturation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Background Dynamic hyperinflation (DH) causes exercise limitation and exertional dyspnea in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Exertional desaturation (ED) also occurs commonly in COPD but neither routine physiologic parameters nor imaging predict ED accurately. In this study we evaluated the relationship between DH and ED during 6-min walk testing (6MWT).