Ventilatory response to exercise in diabetic subjects with autonomic neuropathy

C. Tantucci, P. Bottini, M. L. Dottorini, E. Puxeddu, G. Casucci, L. Scionti, and C. A. Sorbini Clinica di Semeiotica Metodologia Medica, University of Ancona, Ospedale Regionale Torrette, Ancona 60020; and Istituto di Medicina Interna e Scienze Endocrine e Metaboliche, University of Perugia, Perugia 06100, Italy Received 30 March 1995; accepted in final form 10 January 1996. Tantucci, C., P. Bottini, M. L. Dottorini, E. Puxeddu, G. Casucci, L. Scionti, and C. A. Sorbini. Ventilatory response to exercise in diabetic subjects with autonomic neuropathy. J. Appl. Physiol. 81(5): 1978-1986, 1996. We have used diabetic autonomic neuropathy as a model of chronic pulmonary denervation to study the ventilatory response to incremental exercise in 20 diabetic subjects, 10 with (Dan+) and 10 without (Dan ) autonomic dysfunction, and in 10 normal control subjects. Although both Dan+ and Dan subjects achieved lower O 2 consumption and CO 2 production ( CO 2 ) than control subjects at peak of exercise, they attained similar values of either minute ventilation ( E ) or adjusted ventilation ( E /maximal voluntary ventilation). The increment of respiratory rate with increasing adjusted ventilation was much higher in Dan+ than in Dan and control subjects ( P