Breathing induced by abdominal muscle stimulation in individuals without spontaneous ventilation.

The purpose of the study was to determine if functional electrical stimulation of abdominal muscles (FESAM) could maintain pulmonary ventilation at acceptable levels in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) who are unable to breathe spontaneously. This is the first published investigation of this technique in this subject population. This case series study included three individuals with SCI; two were on mechanical ventilation (MV), and one used mechanical ventilation and also had an implanted phrenic nerve stimulator (PNS).

Pulmonary function testing in spinal cord injury: effects of abdominal muscle stimulation.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of applying transcutaneous electrical stimulation to paralyzed abdominal muscles during pulmonary function testing (PFT) of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Ten male subjects with anatomical level of SCI between C5-T7 were studied. Subjects performed PFTs with and without electrical stimulation delivered to the abdominal muscles.

The oxygen uptake threshold during incremental exercise test.

The linear relationship between oxygen consumption (VO2) and exercise intensity is a well established phenomenon observed during incremental exercise. Recently, a non-linear increase in VO2 has been reported by Zoladz et al., who used a relatively complicated method to describe the phenomenon.

Functional electrical stimulation of abdominal muscles to augment tidal volume in spinal cord injury.

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) of abdominal muscles as a method of enhancing ventilation was explored in six neurologically intact subjects and five subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI) who had levels of injury between C4 and C7. Pulmonary ventilation was augmented in both groups predominantly due to an increase in tidal volume. The average increase in tidal volume during FES for the neurologically intact group was 350 ml, while in the SCI group it was 220 ml.

Changes in blood pH, lactate concentration and pulmonary ventilation during incremental testing protocol on cycle ergometer.

We investigated mutual changes in the blood lactate concentration ([LA]), blood pH and pulmonary ventilation (VE) to obtain insight into the regulation of pH at different levels of the exercise intensity. For this purpose the ratio VE/[LA] (1/min/mmol/l) was determined at each particular pH corresponding to exercise intensity in seven healthy subjects on the cycle ergometer during incremental exercise test. Changes in VE/[LA] ratio were found to exhibit three phases.

Changes in blood pH, lactate concentration and pulmonary ventilation during incremental testing protocol on cycle ergometer.

We investigated mutual changes in the blood lactate concentration ([LA]), blood pH and pulmonary ventilation (V) to obtain insight into the regulation of pH at different levels of the exercise intensity. For this purpose the ratio V/[LA] (l/min/mmol/l) was determined at each particular pH corresponding to exercise intensity in seven healthy subjects on the cycle ergometer during incremental exercise test. Changes in V/[LA] ratio were found to exhibit three phases.

The oxygen uptake threshold during incremental exercise test.

The linear relationship between oxygen consumption (Vo) and exercise intensity is a well established phenomenon observed during incremental exercise. Recently, a non-linear increase in Vo has been reported by Zoladz et al., who used a relatively complicated method to describe the phenomenon.

Construction of anthropometric measuring chair (AMC) for lung function prediction.

An anthropometric measuring chair (AMC) was constructed in order to predict lung function parameters (vital capacity--FVC and forced expiratory flow in the first second-FEV1) in normal Caucasian subjects. Design of a chair was aimed toward the fast and reliable recording of body dimensions, particularly of the human thorax. Static and dynamic measurements of thorax dimensions, arm span and sitting height were used to predict FVC and FEV1 with an accuracy better than standard prediction equations based only on body height and age.

Ventilatory assistance using electrical stimulation of abdominal muscles.

Nine neurologically intact subjects were studied to demonstrate the feasibility of stimulating the muscles of expiration during, and in synchrony with, naturally occurring breathing. A breath-by-breath analysis showed that both tidal volume and the frequency of respiration could be increased during periods of electrical stimulation. A single subject with complete spinal cord injury was studied to eliminate the possibility that the results from the normal subjects could be attributed entirely to either subconscious or conscious volitional response to the stimulation.

Double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial of almitrine bismesylate in patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency.

The efficacy and safety of almitrine bismesylate, a new respiratory stimulant, in patients with the hypoxaemic form of chronic respiratory insufficiency caused by chronic bronchitis and emphysema has been assessed. The multicentre trial of 12 weeks duration was double-blind and placebo controlled, with individual and group comparisons. Twenty three patients received almitrine 50 mg b.