We studied the effect of chest wall distortion (CWD) on transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi) and/or mouth pressure during end-expiratory airway occlusions in seven preterm infants. We measured mouth occlusion pressure (Pmo) with a face mask and pressure transducer, gastric pressure (Pga) with a fluid-filled catheter, diaphragmatic electromyogram (Edi) using surface electrodes, and rib cage and abdominal motion using magnetometers. We reasoned that Pdi = Pmo - Pga on airway occlusion. Periods with maximal and periods with minimal CWD were compared. We found that 1) when CWD was minimal, an increase in Edi produced an increase in Pmo and Pdi in all infants; when CWD was greatest, large increases in Edi produced no increase in Pmo or Pdi in four infants; 2) when breaths with the same Pmo or Pdi from each period in each infant were compared, those from the period with greatest CWD had an increased Edi (mean increase 76%, P less than 0.005, and 144%, P less than 0.01, for Pmo and Pdi, respectively). We conclude that in preterm infants, Pmo can be a poor indicator of respiratory drive, and CWD markedly limits the effectiveness of the diaphragm as a force generator.
The effects of vestibular stimulation rate and magnitude of acceleration on central pattern generation for chest wall kinematics in preterm infants