The rates of water and heat loss from the respiratory tract of patients with congestive heart failure who were from a subtropical climate and resting in a comfortable atmosphere

Abstract

A study of the rates of water and heat loss from the respiratory tract of 24 resting sitting patients with right and left ventricular congestive heart failure (Functional Class IV) and living in the subtropical climate of New Orleans showed the following when the room atmosphere was comfortable (temperature, 20.1° C.; relative humidity, 56 per cent): 1. 1.The mean rate of water loss from the respiratory tract was 0.944 Gm. per square meter of body area per ten minutes (extremes, 0.625 and 1.482). When the room temperature was increased from 20.1° C. to 21.5° C., the mean rate of loss was essentially unchanged (mean, 1.052; extremes, 0.694 and 1.456). 2. 2. The mean temperature of the expired air was 33.1° C. (extremes, 31.1 and 34.2). The values were 33.4° C. (extremes, 32.5 and 34.8) when the room temperature was increased to 21.5° C. 3. 3. The mean relative humidity of the expired air was 87 per cent (extremes, 82 and 94). The values were 33.4°C. (extremes, 32.5 and 34.8) when the room the room temperature was changed to 21.5°C. 4. 4. The mean rate of irrigation of the respiratory tract with air was 44.929 liters per square meter of body area per ten minutes (extremes, 25.381 and 70.259). When the room temperature was increased to 21.5° C. these values became 48.286 liters (extremes, 37.266 and 74.238). 5. 5. There was a high correlation between the rates of water loss and irrigation of the respiratory tract with air, the coefficient of correlation being 0.934 ± 0.0144.