Ventilatory limitations are not associated with dyspnea on
exertion or reduced aerobic fitness in pectus excavatum
Authors: William Hardie MD1, Adam Powell
MD2, Todd M. Jenkins, PhD, MPH3,
Karla Foster MS1, Justin T. Tretter
MD2, Robert J Fleck MD4, Victor F
Garcia MD3, Rebeccah L Brown MD3
Institution/Affiliations: 1) Department of Pulmonary Medicine,
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH; 2) Heart
Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati,
OH; 3) Department of Pediatric Surgery, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH; 4) Department of Radiology, Cincinnati
Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.
Financial Support: None
Meeting Presentation: This research was presented in part at
the 20th Congress of the Chest Wall International Group, Pretoria, South
Africa, July 25-27, 2019.
Corresponding Author: William D Hardie, MD, Cincinnati
Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pulmonary Medicine,
3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229. E-mail
William.hardie@cchmc.org; Phone 513-636-4485; Fax 513-803-5394
Key Words: pulmonary function tests, dyspnea, cardiopulmonary
exercise tests
Abbreviated Title : Ventilatory limitations in pectus excavatum
Abstract (250/250 words)
Pulmonary defects are reported in pectus excavatum but the physiological
impact on exercise capacity is unclear. To test the hypothesis
that pectus deformities are associated with a pulmonary impairment
during exercise we performed a retrospective review on pectus patients
in our center who completed a symptom questionnaire, cardiopulmonary
exercise test, pulmonary function tests (PFT), and chest magnetic
resonance imaging.
Of 259 patients studied, dyspnea on exertion and chest pain was reported
in 64% and 41% respectively. Peak oxygen uptake (VO2)
was reduced in 30% and classified as mild in two-thirds. A pulmonary
limitation during exercise was identified in less than 3%. Ventilatory
limitations on PFT was found in 26% and classified as mild in 85%.
Obstruction was the most common abnormal pattern (11%) followed by a
nonspecific ventilatory limitation and restrictive pattern (7% each).
There were no differences between patients with normal or abnormal PFT
patterns for the anatomic degree of pectus malformation,
VO2, or percentage reporting dyspnea or chest pain.
Scatter plots demonstrated significant inverse relationships between
severity of the pectus deformity with lung volumes on PFT and
VO2 but no correlation between the severity of the
pectus deformity and lung volumes during exercise.
We conclude that resting lung volume measurements were associated with
the anatomic degree of pectus severity but respiratory limitations
during maximal exercise are uncommon and PFT patterns have poor
correlation with symptomatology or VO2. These findings
suggest non-respiratory causes are more likely for the high rates of
dyspnea and reduced aerobic fitness reported in pectus.