Gerald Zavorsky

Dr. Gerald Zavorsky is a physiologist practicing at St. Mary's Hospital at St. Louis University. As of 2007 he served as an associate professor of medicine at SLU. His research in the field of exercise science has garnered awards from numerous organizations, including the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology [ [https://www.confmanager.com/main.cfm?cid=574&nid=6770 The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology] ] and the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society. [ [http://www.cas.ca/research/past_winners/default.asp?load=past_winners_2005 The Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society] .]

Academic Background

Dr. Zavorsky received his PhD from the University of British Columbia and his undergraduate and master's degrees from McGill University. He was formerly employed at McGill University and Concordia University.

Research into the Respiration Patterns of the Morbidly Obese

Dr. Zavorsky's research focuses on the respiration patterns of the morbidly obese. His work (in particular his conclusions regarding waist-to-hip ratio and gas exchange) is often cited by international media sources. [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Breathing-trouble-tied-to-waist-size/2007/02/18/1171733599511.html The Sydney Morning Herald] ] [ [http://www.obesityprevention.org/Families/News/FamiliesNews49.html Shaping America's Health] ]

Work Involving DLNO

Dr. Zavorsky is also noted for his work in the field of pulmonary function testing, specifically the use of pulmonary diffusing capacity for nitric oxide (DLNO) in the examination of pulmonary microvascular regulation.

Nitric oxide has an affinity for hemoglobin that is 280 times stronger than carbon monoxide, the gas currently used in hospitals worldwide for lung function testing. Because of this high affinity, the diffusion of nitric oxide though the alveolar-capillary membrane is a preferable indicator of alveolar membrane diffusion and is mostly independent of capillary blood volume and hemoglobin concentration. Based on these qualities, Dr. Zavorsky's research has promoted the use of DLNO to evaluate the function of the alveolar-capillary membrane. Dr. Zavorsky was the first in Canada to publish such research extolling the virtues of DLNO in lung function testing. [ [http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/content/abstract/125/3/1019?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&author1=zavorsky+&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT American College of Chest Physicians.] ]

He subsequently published another leading article which demonstrated the safety and efficacy of using 40 to 50 parts per million of nitric oxide in humans for diffusing capacity tests. [ [http://erj.ersjournals.com/cgi/content/abstract/27/6/1251?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&author1=zaorsky&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT European Respiratory Society.] ] Later, in 2008, he was the first in North America to publish reference equations for DLNO using the single-breath method [ [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.niox.2007.10.002 Nitric Oxide.] ] .

These reference equations demonstrate several important facts. First, when normalizing for height and age, women have, on average about 660 mL lower alveolar volume and 650 mL lower vital capacity compared to men. Second, when normalizing for height and age, women have, on average, 32 ml/min/mmHg lower DLNO values compared to men. However, when normalizing for lung volume (alveolar volume) and age, women have, on average, a 18 ml/min/mmHg lower DLNO compared to men. Therefore, the data shows that women have lower pulmonary diffusing capacity for nitric oxide (and thus slightly lower overall pulmonary function) than men, even when adjusting for age, height, or alveolar volume.

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