Pulmonary resistance and state of inflation of lungs in normal subjects and in patients with airway obstruction

1959 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 727-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsung O. Cheng ◽  
Malcolm P. Godfrey ◽  
Richard H. Shepard

The relationship between pulmonary resistance and the state of inflation of the lung was estimated throughout the expired vital capacity, using the multiple interrupter of Clements and Elam and a servo-spirometer. In normal subjects the pulmonary resistance was lowest near full inflation and remained relatively constant until about 80% of the vital capacity had been expired. It then rose abruptly and approached infinity at full expiration. In patients with obstructed airways, this relationship was altered in one of several ways: 1) normal resistance near full inflation increasing to high levels early in the expired vital capacity, 2) high resistance near full inflation with little further rise until late in expiration and 3) various combinations of the above. The first pattern probably reflects changes in the small, relatively flaccid airways while the second pattern probably reflects changes in the large, relatively rigid airways or in pulmonary viscous resistance. The type of relationship between resistance and lung volume also appears to influence the partition of the total lung capacity. Submitted on February 17, 1959

2000 ◽  
Vol 88 (4) ◽  
pp. 1413-1420 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Peter Johns ◽  
John Wilson ◽  
Richard Harding ◽  
E. Haydn Walters

Anatomic dead space (Vd) is known to increase with end-inspiratory lung volume (EILV), and the gradient of the relationship has been proposed as an index of airway distensibility (ΔVd). The aims of this study were to apply a rapid method for measuring ΔVd and to determine whether it was affected by lung volume history. Vd of 16 healthy and 16 mildly asthmatic subjects was measured at a number of known EILVs by using a tidal breathing, CO2-washout method. The effect of lung volume history was assessed by using three tidal breathing regimens: 1) three discrete EILVs (low/medium/high; LMH); 2) progressively decreasing EILVs from total lung capacity (TLC; TLC-RV); and 3) progressively increasing EILVs from residual volume (RV; RV-TLC). ΔVd was lower in the asthmatic group for the LMH (25.3 ± 2.24 vs. 21.2 ± 1.66 ml/l, means ± SE) and TLC-RV (24.3 ± 1.69 vs. 18.7 ± 1.16 ml/l) regimens. There was a trend for a lower ΔVd in the asthmatic group for the RV-TLC regimen (23.3 ± 2.19 vs. 18.8 ± 1.68 ml/l). There was no difference in ΔVd between groups. In conclusion, mild asthmatic subjects have stiffer airways than normal subjects, and this is not obviously affected by lung volume history.


1983 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 1618-1623 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. H. Fanta ◽  
D. E. Leith ◽  
R. Brown

Normal subjects can increase their vital capacity by appropriate training. We tested whether that change can be achieved by greater maximal shortening of the inspiratory muscles without concomitant increases in peak static inspiratory pressures. Sixteen healthy volunteers participated in the study: eight were randomly assigned to make 20 inhalations to total lung capacity, held for 10 s with the glottis open, each day for 6 wk; the remainder served as nontraining controls. Before and after the 6-wk study period, we made multiple determinations of lung volumes and of curves relating lung volume to maximal static inspiratory (and expiratory) pressure. Control subjects had no significant changes from base line in any variable. In the training group, the mean vital capacity increased 200 +/- 74 ml (P less than 0.05) or 3.9 +/- 1.3% (P less than 0.02), without a significant change in residual volume. After training, the mean maximal inspiratory pressure at the airway opening (PI) at a lung volume equal to the base-line total lung capacity was 27 +/- 8 cmH2O in this group (vs. zero before training; P less than 0.02). Values of PI in the mid-vital capacity range did not change. We conclude that in response to appropriate training stimuli inspiratory muscles can contract to shorter minimal lengths, a capacity potentially important in progressive pulmonary hyperinflation.


1997 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 291-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Cohn ◽  
Joshua O. Benditt ◽  
Scott Eveloff ◽  
F. Dennis McCool

Cohn, David, Joshua O. Benditt, Scott Eveloff, and F. Dennis McCool. Diaphragm thickening during inspiration. J. Appl. Physiol. 83(1): 291–296, 1997.—Ultrasound has been used to measure diaphragm thickness ( T di) in the area where the diaphragm abuts the rib cage (zone of apposition). However, the degree of diaphragm thickening during inspiration reported as obtained by one-dimensional M-mode ultrasound was greater than that predicted by using other radiographic techniques. Because two-dimensional (2-D) ultrasound provides greater anatomic definition of the diaphragm and neighboring structures, we used this technique to reevaluate the relationship between lung volume and T di. We first established the accuracy and reproducibility of 2-D ultrasound by measuring T diwith a 7.5-MHz transducer in 26 cadavers. We found that T di measured by ultrasound correlated significantly with that measured by ruler ( R 2 = 0.89), with the slope of this relationship approximating a line of identity ( y = 0.89 x + 0.04 mm). The relationship between lung volume and T di was then studied in nine subjects by obtaining diaphragm images at the five target lung volumes [25% increments from residual volume (RV) to total lung capacity (TLC)]. Plots of T di vs. lung volume demonstrated that the diaphragm thickened as lung volume increased, with a more rapid rate of thickening at the higher lung volumes [ T di = 1.74 vital capacity (VC)2 + 0.26 VC + 2.7 mm] ( R 2= 0.99; P < 0.001) where lung volume is expressed as a fraction of VC. The mean increase in T di between RV and TLC for the group was 54% (range 42–78%). We conclude that 2-D ultrasound can accurately measure T di and that the average thickening of the diaphragm when a subject is inhaling from RV to TLC using this technique is in the range of what would be predicted from a 35% shortening of the diaphragm.


1986 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 304-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Watson ◽  
A. C. Jackson ◽  
J. M. Drazen

The lung volume (VL) dependence of several dynamic pulmonary mechanical properties of the guinea pig lung were determined over the range of the vital capacity (10–100% VC) with the vagi intact and sectioned. We found dynamic compliance to be strongly VL dependent, decreasing as much as 85% between functional residual capacity (FRC) and total lung capacity (TLC). Below FRC, dynamic compliance either remained unchanged or decreased, depending upon the technique used in its measurement. Pulmonary resistance (RL) decreased monotonically with increasing VL, whereas pulmonary conductance was linearly related to VL. Conductance was much less sensitive to VL than compliance, increasing only 28% between FRC and TLC. The sensitivity of pulmonary conductance to VL was substantially increased by subtracting the resistance of the tracheal cannula from RL. Specific pulmonary conductance was not independent of VL but decreased approximately 45% over the range of the VC. Pulmonary inertance was found to be unaffected by VL. Extrapolation from these data indicate that small differences in FRC, which might be expected within and between studies relying on pulmonary mechanical measurements, would most strongly affect compliance estimates and only moderately alter resistance estimates. It also indicates that the use of specific pulmonary conductance does not remove VL as an independent variable.


1993 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 688-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Brancatisano ◽  
L. A. Engel ◽  
S. H. Loring

We related inspiratory muscle activity to inspiratory pressure generation (Pmus) at different lung volumes in five seated normal subjects. Integrated electromyograms were recorded from diaphragmatic crura (Edi), parasternals (PS), and lateral external intercostals (EI). At 20% increments in the vital capacity (VC) subjects relaxed and then made graded and maximal inspiratory efforts against an occluded airway. At any given level of pressure generation, Edi, PS, and EI increased with increasing lung volume. The Pmus generated at total lung capacity as a fraction of that at a low lung volume (between residual volume and 40% VC) was 0.39 +/- 0.15 (SD) for the diaphragm, 0.20 +/- 0.06 for PS, and 0.22 +/- 0.04 for the lateral EI muscles. Our results indicate a lesser volume dependence of the Pmus-EMG relationship for the diaphragm than for PS and EI muscles. This difference in muscle effectiveness with lung volume may reflect differences in length-tension and/or geometric mechanical advantage between the rib cage muscles and the diaphragm.


1988 ◽  
Vol 64 (6) ◽  
pp. 2482-2489 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Leblanc ◽  
E. Summers ◽  
M. D. Inman ◽  
N. L. Jones ◽  
E. J. Campbell ◽  
...  

The capacity of inspiratory muscles to generate esophageal pressure at several lung volumes from functional residual capacity (FRC) to total lung capacity (TLC) and several flow rates from zero to maximal flow was measured in five normal subjects. Static capacity was 126 +/- 14.6 cmH2O at FRC, remained unchanged between 30 and 55% TLC, and decreased to 40 +/- 6.8 cmH2O at TLC. Dynamic capacity declined by a further 5.0 +/- 0.35% from the static pressure at any given lung volume for every liter per second increase in inspiratory flow. The subjects underwent progressive incremental exercise to maximum power and achieved 1,800 +/- 45 kpm/min and maximum O2 uptake of 3,518 +/- 222 ml/min. During exercise peak esophageal pressure increased from 9.4 +/- 1.81 to 38.2 +/- 5.70 cmH2O and end-inspiratory esophageal pressure increased from 7.8 +/- 0.52 to 22.5 +/- 2.03 cmH2O from rest to maximum exercise. Because the estimated capacity available to meet these demands is critically dependent on end-inspiratory lung volume, the changes in lung volume during exercise were measured in three of the subjects using He dilution. End-expiratory volume was 52.3 +/- 2.42% TLC at rest and 38.5 +/- 0.79% TLC at maximum exercise.


2006 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 799-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leigh M. Seccombe ◽  
Peter G. Rogers ◽  
Nghi Mai ◽  
Chris K. Wong ◽  
Leonard Kritharides ◽  
...  

One technique employed by competitive breath-hold divers to increase diving depth is to hyperinflate the lungs with glossopharyngeal breathing (GPB). Our aim was to assess the relationship between measured volume and pressure changes due to GPB. Seven healthy male breath-hold divers, age 33 ( 8 ) [mean (SD)] years were recruited. Subjects performed baseline body plethysmography (TLCPRE). Plethysmography and mouth relaxation pressure were recorded immediately following a maximal GPB maneuver at total lung capacity (TLC) (TLCGPB) and within 5 min after the final GPB maneuver (TLCPOST). Mean TLC increased from TLCPRE to TLCGPB by 1.95 (0.66) liters and vital capacity (VC) by 1.92 (0.56) liters ( P < 0.0001), with no change in residual volume. There was an increase in TLCPOST compared with TLCPRE of 0.16 liters (0.14) ( P < 0.02). Mean mouth relaxation pressure at TLCGPB was 65 (19) cmH2O and was highly correlated with the percent increase in TLC ( R = 0.96). Breath-hold divers achieve substantial increases in measured lung volumes using GPB primarily from increasing VC. Approximately one-third of the additional air was accommodated by air compression.


1979 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Inners ◽  
P. B. Terry ◽  
R. J. Traystman ◽  
H. A. Menkes

The effects of changing lung volume (VL) on collateral resistance (Rcoll) and total airways resistance (Raw) were compared in six young volunteers. At functional residual capacity (FRC) = 55% total lung capacity (TLC), mean Rcoll was 4,664 +/- 1,518 (SE) cmH2O/(l/s) and mean Raw was 1.57 +/- 0.11 (SE) cmH2O/l/s). When VL increased to 80% TLC, Rcoll decreased by 63.3 +/- 7.8%, and Raw decreased by 50.3 +/- 4.2 (SE) %. The decrease in Rcoll with increasing lung volume was not statistically different from that of Raw (P less than 0.05). If the airways obstructed for measurements of Rcoll served between 2 and 5% of the lungs, then Rcoll was approximately 50 times as great as the resistance to flow through airways serving the same volume of lung at FRC. The relationship did not change significantly when VL increased by 25% TLC. If changes in Raw reflect changes in airways supplying sublobar portions of lung, these results indicate that there is no tendency for the redistribution of ventilation through airways and collateral pathways with changes in VL in young subjects.


1977 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 899-902 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Hutcheon ◽  
J. R. Rodarte ◽  
R. E. Hyatt

Static lung volumes and static elastic recoil pressure (Pel) were measured in normal subjects breathing air and 80% helium plus 20% oxygen (He+O2). In 22 subjects, He+O2 produced small but significant increases in total lung capacity (TLC) (mean 0.11 liter, P less than 0.001) and residual volume (mean 0.10 liter, P less than 0.01) without change in vital capacity or functional residual capacity. The mechanisms for this change are obscure. In 10 subjects, breathing He+O2 had no significant effect on Pel (paired t-test) at any lung volume measured (50–80% TLC). In one subject, Pel at 70 and 80% TLC was significantly higher on air than on He+O2 (unpaired t-test, P less than 0.05). Because changes in lung volumes and lung recoil were small, we concluded that these effects do not negate the clinical utility of He+O2 flow-volume curves.


1992 ◽  
Vol 73 (6) ◽  
pp. 2328-2332 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Julia-Serda ◽  
N. A. Molfino ◽  
K. R. Chapman ◽  
P. A. McClean ◽  
N. Zamel ◽  
...  

We examined the effect of volume history on the dynamic relationship between airways and lung parenchyma (relative hysteresis) in 20 asthmatic subjects. The acoustic reflection technique was employed to evaluate changes in airway cross-sectional areas during a slow continuous expiration from total lung capacity to residual volume and inspiration back to total lung capacity. Lung volume was measured continuously during this quasi-static maneuver. We studied three anatomic airway segments: extra- and intrathoracic tracheal and main bronchial segments. Plots of airway area vs. lung volume were obtained for each segment to assess the relative magnitude and direction of the airway and parenchymal hysteresis. We also performed maximal expiratory flow-volume and partial expiratory flow-volume curves and calculated the ratio of maximal to partial flow rates (M/P) at 30% of the vital capacity. We found that 10 subjects (group I) showed a significant predominance of airway over parenchymal hysteresis (P < 0.005) at the extra- and intrathoracic tracheal and main bronchial segments; these subjects had high M/P ratios [1.53 +/- 0.27 (SD)]. The other 10 subjects (group II) showed similar airway and parenchymal hysteresis for all three segments and significantly lower M/P ratios (1.16 +/- 0.20, P < 0.01). We conclude that the effect of volume history on the relative hysteresis of airway and lung parenchyma and M/P ratio at 30% of vital capacity in nonprovoked asthmatic subjects is variable. We suggest that our findings may result from heterogeneous airway tone in asthmatic subjects.


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