Respiratory responses to ventilatory loading following low cervical spinal cord injury

1985 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 1752-1756 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Kelling ◽  
A. F. DiMarco ◽  
S. B. Gottfried ◽  
M. D. Altose

This study compared the respiratory responses to ventilatory loading in 8 normal subjects and 11 quadriplegic patients with low cervical spinal cord transection. Progressive hypercapnia was produced by rebreathing. Rebreathing trials were carried out with no added load and with inspiratory resistive loads of 5 and 16 cmH2O. l-1 X s. Measurements were made of ventilation and of diaphragmatic electromyographic activity. Base-line hypercapnic ventilatory responses were significantly lower than normal in the quadriplegic patients, but the effects of resistive loading on the ventilatory responses were comparable in the two groups. The change in peak moving-average diaphragmatic electrical activity (DI peak) for a given change in CO2 partial pressure (PCO2) and DI peak at PCO2 55 Torr increased significantly with resistive loading both in the normal subjects and the quadriplegic patients. In the normal subjects, but not in the quadriplegic patients, inspiratory duration increased progressively with increasing resistance. The increase in DI peak during ventilatory loading in the normal subjects was a consequence of inspiratory prolongation. In contrast, in the quadriplegic patients during breathing against the larger resistive load, there was a significant increase in the average rate of rise (DI peak divided by the time from onset to peak) of diaphragmatic activity. The change in DI rate of rise for a given change in PCO2 increased to 137 +/- 13% (SE), and the DI rate of rise at PCO2 55 Torr increased to 128 +/- 8% (SE) of control values. These results indicate that compensatory increases in diaphragmatic activation during ventilatory loading occur in quadriplegic patients in whom afferent feedback from rib cage receptors is disrupted.

1983 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 929-934 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. M. Michiels ◽  
R. W. Light ◽  
C. K. Mahutte

The respiratory depressant effects of ethanol and their potential reversibility by naloxone were studied in 10 normal subjects. Ventilatory and mouth occlusion pressure (P0.1) responses to hypercapnia and hypoxia without and with an inspiratory resistive load (13 cmH2O X 1(-1) X S) were measured. The resistive load detected with 50% probability (delta R50) and the exponent (n) in Stevens' psychophysical law for magnitude estimation of resistive loads were studied using standard psychophysical techniques. Each of these studies was performed before ethanol ingestion, after ethanol ingestion (1.5 ml/kg, by mouth), and then again after naloxone (0.8 mg iv). Ethanol increased delta R50 (P less than 0.05) and decreased n (P less than 0.05). Naloxone caused no further change in these parameters. The load compensation (Lc), defined as the ratio of loaded to unloaded response slopes, was not significantly changed after ethanol and naloxone. No correlation was found between the Lc and delta R50 or n. The ventilatory and P0.1 responses to hypercapnia and hypoxia with and without inspiratory resistive loading decreased after ethanol (P less than 0.05, hypercapnia; NS, hypoxia). After naloxone the hypercapnic ventilatory responses increased (P less than 0.05). This suggests that the respiratory depressant effects of ethanol may be mediated via endorphins.


2013 ◽  
pp. 172-174
Author(s):  
Paolo Agostinis ◽  
Paola Bardus ◽  
Vito Di Piazza ◽  
Ferdinando Dassi ◽  
Nadia Durigon ◽  
...  

Background: Chronic dry cough is a debilitating symptom often refractory to standard antitussive therapy. It may result from increased sensitivity of the cough reflex. Baclofen, an agonist of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), has been shown, in animals, to have antitussive activity via a central mechanism. In normal subjects baclofen has been revealed ability to inhibit capsaicininduced cough and cough due to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. In addition, chronic therapy with baclofen has been shown to reduce cough reflex sensitivity in subjects with cervical spinal cord injury. Clinical cases: We describe two patients with chronic refractory cough who obtained symptomatic improvement after oral baclofen administration. The antitussive effect of baclofen, usually used for treatment of spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis and spinal cord lesions, can be explained by central inhibition, but may also involve peripheral inhibitory mechanisms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. Sunshine ◽  
Antonino M. Cassarà ◽  
Esra Neufeld ◽  
Nir Grossman ◽  
Thomas H. Mareci ◽  
...  

AbstractRespiratory insufficiency is a leading cause of death due to drug overdose or neuromuscular disease. We hypothesized that a stimulation paradigm using temporal interference (TI) could restore breathing in such conditions. Following opioid overdose in rats, two high frequency (5000 Hz and 5001 Hz), low amplitude waveforms delivered via intramuscular wires in the neck immediately activated the diaphragm and restored ventilation in phase with waveform offset (1 Hz or 60 breaths/min). Following cervical spinal cord injury (SCI), TI stimulation via dorsally placed epidural electrodes uni- or bilaterally activated the diaphragm depending on current and electrode position. In silico modeling indicated that an interferential signal in the ventral spinal cord predicted the evoked response (left versus right diaphragm) and current-ratio-based steering. We conclude that TI stimulation can activate spinal motor neurons after SCI and prevent fatal apnea during drug overdose by restoring ventilation with minimally invasive electrodes.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1057
Author(s):  
Riccardo Bravi ◽  
Stefano Caputo ◽  
Sara Jayousi ◽  
Alessio Martinelli ◽  
Lorenzo Biotti ◽  
...  

Residual motion of upper limbs in individuals who experienced cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) is vital to achieve functional independence. Several interventions were developed to restore shoulder range of motion (ROM) in CSCI patients. However, shoulder ROM assessment in clinical practice is commonly limited to use of a simple goniometer. Conventional goniometric measurements are operator-dependent and require significant time and effort. Therefore, innovative technology for supporting medical personnel in objectively and reliably measuring the efficacy of treatments for shoulder ROM in CSCI patients would be extremely desirable. This study evaluated the validity of a customized wireless wearable sensors (Inertial Measurement Units—IMUs) system for shoulder ROM assessment in CSCI patients in clinical setting. Eight CSCI patients and eight healthy controls performed four shoulder movements (forward flexion, abduction, and internal and external rotation) with dominant arm. Every movement was evaluated with a goniometer by different testers and with the IMU system at the same time. Validity was evaluated by comparing IMUs and goniometer measurements using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Limits of Agreement (LOA). inter-tester reliability of IMUs and goniometer measurements was also investigated. Preliminary results provide essential information on the accuracy of the proposed wireless wearable sensors system in acquiring objective measurements of the shoulder movements in CSCI patients.


BMC Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Mizuno ◽  
Fumiaki Honda ◽  
Hayato Ikota ◽  
Yuhei Yoshimoto

Abstract Background Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) is an abnormal reflex of the autonomic nervous system normally observed in patients with spinal cord injury from the sixth thoracic vertebra and above. AD causes various symptoms including paroxysmal hypertension due to stimulus. Here, we report a case of recurrent AD associated with cervical spinal cord tumor. Case presentation The patient was a 57-year-old man. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an intramedullary lesion in the C2, C6, and high Th12 levels. During the course of treatment, sudden loss of consciousness occurred together with abnormal paroxysmal hypertension, marked facial sweating, left upward conjugate gaze deviation, ankylosis of both upper and lower extremities, and mydriasis. Seizures repeatedly occurred, with symptoms disappearing after approximately 30 min. AD associated with cervical spinal cord tumor was diagnosed. Histological examination by tumor biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of gliofibroma. Radiotherapy was performed targeting the entire brain and spinal cord. The patient died approximately 3 months after treatment was started. Conclusions AD is rarely associated with spinal cord tumor, and this is the first case associated with cervical spinal cord gliofibroma. AD is important to recognize, since immediate and appropriate response is required.


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