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ALL / Respiratory Medicine
Transfer factor
Transfer factor
The transfer factor describes the rate at which a gas will diffuse from alveoli into blood. Carbon monoxide is used to test the rate of diffusion. Results may be given as the total gas transfer (TLCO) or that corrected for lung volume (transfer coefficient, KCO)Causes of a raised TLCO
| Causes of a lower TLCO
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KCO also tends to increase with age. Some conditions may cause an increased KCO with a normal or reduced TLCO
- pneumonectomy/lobectomy
- scoliosis/kyphosis
- neuromuscular weakness
- ankylosis of costovertebral joints e.g. ankylosing spondylitis
+PassMedicine Notes
The transfer factor describes the rate at which a gas will diffuse from alveoli into blood. Carbon monoxide is used to test the rate of diffusion. Results may be given as the total gas transfer (TLCO) or that corrected for lung volume (transfer coefficient, KCO)
Causes of a raised TLCO- asthma
- pulmonary haemorrhage (e.g. granulomatosis with polyangiitis, Goodpasture's)
- left-to-right cardiac shunts
- polycythaemia
- hyperkinetic states
- male gender, exercise
- pulmonary fibrosis
- pneumonia
- pulmonary emboli
- pulmonary oedema
- emphysema
- anaemia
- low cardiac output|
- pneumonectomy/lobectomy
- scoliosis/kyphosis
- neuromuscular weakness
- ankylosis of costovertebral joints e.g. ankylosing spondylitis
