Effect of posture on pulmonary dead space in man

Abstract

Physiologic dead space was determined in the supine and upright postures by simultaneous sampling and subsequent analysis of arterial blood and expired gas for Pco2. In seven normal men there was invariably a higher dead space in the upright than in the supine position. The difference averaged 83 ml and was statistically significant (S.E. 25 ml and P < 0.01). The ratio of dead space to tidal volume also invariably increased on assuming the upright posture. Evidence is presented for believing that most of the change in physiologic dead space resulted from a change in alveolar dead space. Estimated changes in the ratio of alveolar dead space to alveolar tidal volume suggest that approximately one seventh of the total number of alveoli became nonperfused on changing from the supine to the erect posture. These findings are consistent with bronchospirometric and hemodynamic evidence that the apex of the lung is virtually nonperfused in the resting human subject in the upright posture. Submitted on November 12, 1958