Early lung diffusion abnormalities and airways’ inflammation in children with type 1 diabetes

Background and aims of the study

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) impacts lung function and exercise capacity in adults, but limited information is available in children. We hypothesize that T1D causes alterations in pulmonary function and cardiorespiratory fitness, i.e., exercise capacity, at early stages of the disease, due to the presence of inflammation and vascular damage. Therefore, we aim to investigate pulmonary function before and after exercise in children with T1D as compared to age matched healthy controls.

Method

Twenty-four children with T1D and twenty healthy controls underwent body plethysmography, diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide and fractional exhaled nitric oxide at rest and after cardio-pulmonary exercise test.

Results

In children with T1D, baseline total lung capacity and diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide were reduced as compared to healthy controls. Children with T1D also showed a reduced exercise capacity associated with poor aerobic fitness. Accordingly, diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide tended to increase with exercise in healthy controls, while no change was observed in children with T1D. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide was significantly higher at baseline and tended to increase with exercise in children with T1D, while no changes were observed in healthy controls.

Conclusions

Altered diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide, increased fractional exhaled nitric oxide and a poor aerobic fitness to exercise suggests the presence of early pulmonary abnormalities in children with T1D.