European Respiratory Review · Jan 12, 2022

Sex, gender and the pulmonary physiology of exercise

By Dominelli PB, Molgat-Seon Y

In this review, we detail how the pulmonary system's response to exercise is impacted by both sex and gender in healthy humans across the lifespan. First, the rationale for why sex and gender differences should be considered is explored, and then anatomical differences are highlighted, namely that females typically have smaller lungs and airways than males. Thereafter, we describe how these anatomical differences can impact functional aspects such as respiratory muscle energetics and activation, mechanical ventilatory constraints, diaphragm fatigue, and pulmonary gas exchange in healthy adults and children. Finally, we detail how gender can impact the pulmonary response to exercise.

doi.org/10.1183/16000617.0074-2021Open accessPubMed 35022254Mechanisms