Overview
This study aims to investigate the airway response to exercise and its association with breathlessness in double lung transplant recipients by comparing responses during 5-minute and 15-minute exercise durations.
Description
Participants will undergo a constant workload challenge set at 60% of their peak oxygen uptake in 2 separate sessions: a 5-minute and a 15-minute exercise session, conducted in a random order. Ratings of perceived exertion will be measured every 5 minutes during exercise. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second will be performed before exercise, immediately post-exercise, and at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 minutes post-exercise in order to assess the airway response.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Received double lung transplantation
- ≥ 3 months post-transplant
Exclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of asthma
- Significant airflow limitation (≤50% FEV1 predicted)
- Inability to cooperate with the required tests and measurements
- Recent infection or rejection within 1 month
- Exercise contraindication (e.g., recent heart attack or stroke within 3 months, uncontrolled hypertension, known aortic aneurysm, unstable cardiac ischemia, malignant arrhythmias)