Thoracoabdominal motion during chest physiotherapy in patients affected by chronic obstructive lung disease.

In 11 patients suffering from chronic obstructive lung disease, thoracoabdominal movements were monitored with magnetometers during various breathing manoeuvres directed by the chest physiotherapist. The signals derived from the magnetometers and the mouth flow were analysed in order to pick up paradoxical movements of one or the other compartment of the chest wall. In contrast to what was observed during spontaneous breathing, especially abdominodiaphragmatic breathing induced in most of the subjects paradoxical movements.

Effect of oxygen on breathing during exercise in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease.

In 10 exercising patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) we measured ventilation (VE), end-tidal CO2 (PETCO2), mean inspiratory flow (VT/TI), the ratio of inspiratory time to total time for one cycle (TI/TTOT), and occlusion pressure at 0.1 s measured at the mouth (P O.1), when they breathed room air and 100% oxygen.

Low frequency breathing at rest and during exercise in severe chronic obstructive bronchitis.

The effect of low frequency breathing compared with spontaneous breathing was examined at rest and during exercise (40 watts) in 12 patients suffering from severe chronic obstructive bronchitis. At rest low frequency breathing improved significantly the alveolar ventilation and the tensions of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the arterial blood. There was no significant change in ventilation minute volume.