To assess respiratory neuromuscular function and load compensating ability in patients with chronic airway obstruction (CAO), we studied eight stable patients with irreversible airway obstruction during hyperoxic CO2 rebreathing with and without a 17 cmH2O X l-1 X s flow-resistive inspiratory load (IRL). Minute ventilation (VE), transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi), and diaphragmatic electromyogram (EMGdi) were monitored. Pdi and EMGdi were obtained via a single gastroesophageal catheter with EMGdi being quantitated as the average rate of rise of inspiratory (moving average) activity. Based on the effects of IRL on the Pdi response to CO2 [delta Pdi/delta arterial CO2 tension (PaCO2)] and the change in Pdi for a given change in EMGdi (delta Pdi/delta EMGdi) during rebreathing, two groups could be clearly identified. Four patients (group A) were able to increase delta Pdi/delta PaCO2 and delta Pdi/delta EMGdi, whereas in the other four (group B) the IRL responses decreased. All group B patients were hyperinflated having significantly greater functional residual capacity (FRC) and residual volume than group A. In addition the IRL induced percent change in delta Pdi/delta PaCO2, and delta VE/delta PaCO2 was negatively correlated with lung volume so that in the hyperinflated group B the higher the FRC the greater was the decrease in Pdi response due to IRL. In both groups the greater the FRC the greater was the decrease in the ventilatory response to loading. Patients with CAO, even with severe airways obstruction, can effect load compensation by increasing diaphragmatic force output, but the presence of increased lung volume with the associated shortened diaphragm prevents such load compensation.