Background:
Optimization of cerebral blood flow is the cornerstone of clinical management in a number of neurologic diseases, most notably ischemic stroke. Intra-thoracic pressure influences cardiac output and has the potential to impact cerebral blood flow (CBF). Here we aim to quantify cerebral hemodynamic changes in response to increased respiratory impedance using a non-invasive respiratory device.
Methods:
Cerebral perfusion was measured under varying levels of respiratory impedance (6cm H
2
0, 9cm H
2
0, and 12 cm H
2
0) in 20 healthy volunteers. Simultaneous measurements of microvascular CBF and middle cerebral artery mean flow velocity (MFV), respectively, were performed with optical diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) and transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD).
Results:
At the high level of respiratory impedance, mean flow velocity increased by 6.4% compared to baseline (p=0.004), but changes in cortical CBF were smaller and non-significant (Figure). Heart rate, cardiac output, respiratory rate, and end tidal CO
2
remained stable during all levels of respiratory impedance. There was small increase in mean arterial blood pressure, 1.7% (p=0.006), at the high level of respiratory impedance. In a multivariable linear regression model accounting for end tidal CO
2
and individual variability, respiratory impedance was associated with increases in both mean flow velocity (coefficient: 0.49, p<0.001) and cortical CBF (coefficient: 0.13, p<0.001).
Conclusions:
Manipulating intrathoracic pressure via non-invasive respiratory impedance was well tolerated and produced a small but measurable increase in cerebral perfusion in healthy individuals. Future studies in acute ischemic stroke patients with impaired cerebral autoregulation is warranted in order to assess whether respiratory impedance is feasible as a novel non-invasive therapy for stroke.
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