Pulmonary function in tetraplegic and paraplegic patients.

Dynamic spirometry and arterial blood gas analyses were performed in a series of 12 tetraplegic and 8 paraplegic patients. A marked restrictive impairment of ventilatory function was found in all patients with tetraplegia, the mean vital capacity (VC) and one second forced expiratory volume (FEV1.0) were less than half of the predicted normal values. Paraplegia was accompanied only by a slight ventilatory restriction in five patients, while three showed normal respiratory function. Signs of airways obstruction were not revealed in either group. Arterial oxygen tension was normal in all patients. With one exception, elevated PaCO2 values were not found in the series. Hyperventilation (decreased arterial PCO2) was a common finding, it was regarded to be partly due to the effects connected with the examination procedure.