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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Mar 6.
Published in final edited form as: Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol. 2014 Mar 6;100(3):168–179. doi: 10.1002/bdra.23226

TABLE 1. Potential Etiology of Low VA and Its Effect on Kco.

Condition DLco Kco VA
Inadequate inspiration ↓ ↑ ↓
Diffuse interstitial lung disease
  (alveolar-capillary deficit)		 ↓ ↓ ↓
Emphysema (alveolar-capillary deficit) ↓ ↓ ↓ ↔
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
  (alveolar-capillary deficit)		 ↓ ↓ ↔
Pulmonary hypertension
  (effectively reduced Vc)		 ↓ ↓ ↔

DLco, single-breath diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide; DLco/VA, carbon monoxide diffusing capacity per unit alveolar volume; VA, alveolar volume; Vc, pulmonary capillary volume; ↓, decreased; ↓↓, significantly decreased; ↑, increased; ↔, no change.