Nasal mask pressure waveform and inspiratory muscle rest during nasal assisted ventilation

In mechanically ventilated patients, pressure and flow tracings can be used to assess respiratory pump muscle activity or rest. When the ventilation is delivered through an endotracheal tube, the respiratory system can be considered a one-compartment model, and activation of the respiratory muscles results in deformations and variability of the pressure tracings. This is also true when mechanical ventilation is delivered nasally. With intermittent positive-pressure ventilation delivered through a nasal mask (nIPPV), we have recently shown that the glottis can interfere with ventilation even in the absence of diaphragmatic surface electromyographic (EMG) activity. On the basis of our observations, we suggested that when mechanical ventilation is delivered through a nasal means of access, the respiratory system cannot be considered a one-compartment model. To confirm this hypothesis, we submitted one healthy subject to nIPPV while his glottis was continuously monitored through a fiberoptic bronchoscope and his diaphragmatic activity was monitored with a bipolar esophageal electrode. During wakefulness or sleep, we observed irregularities in the nasal mask pressure waveform, in nasal mask peak pressure, and in actual VT despite the absence of respiratory pump muscle activity. These irregularities were related to significant variations in the glottic width, rather than to the reappearance of transient phasic inspiratory muscle activity. We conclude that during nIPPV, deformations in the mask pressure waveform can be induced by variations in the glottic aperture without activation of the diaphragm. Thus, when mechanical ventilation does not bypass the glottis, the respiratory system does not behave like a one-compartment model, and EMG remains the only reliable technique for assessing diaphragmatic muscle activity

Effects of hypocapnic hyperventilation on the response to hypoxia in normal subjects receiving intermittent positive-pressure ventilation.

OBJECTIVE: To confirm the hypothesis that the ventilatory response to hypoxia (VRH) may be abolished by hypocapnia. METHODS: We studied four healthy subjects during intermittent positive-pressure ventilation delivered through a nasal mask (nIPPV). Delivered minute ventilation (Ed) was progressively increased to lower end-tidal carbon dioxide pressure (PETCO(2)) below the apneic threshold. Then, at different hypocapnic levels, nitrogen was added to induce falls in oxygen saturation, a hypoxic run (N(2) run). For each N(2) run, the reappearance of a diaphragmatic muscle activity and/or an increase in effective minute ventilation (E) and/or deformations in mask-pressure tracings were considered as a VRH, whereas unchanged tracings signified absence of a VRH. For the N(2) runs eliciting a VRH, the threshold response to hypoxia (TRh) was defined as the transcutaneous oxygen saturation level that corresponds to the beginning of the ventilatory changes. RESULTS: Thirty-seven N(2) runs were performed (7 N(2) runs during wakefulness and 30 N(2) runs during sleep). For severe hypocapnia (PETCO(2) of 27.1 +/- 5.2 mm Hg), no VRH was noted, whereas a VRH was observed for N(2) runs performed at significantly higher PETCO(2) levels (PETCO(2) of 34.0 +/- 2.1 mm Hg, p < 0.001). Deep oxygen desaturation (up to 64%) never elicited a VRH when the PETCO(2) level was < 29.3 mm Hg, which was considered the carbon dioxide inhibition threshold. For the 16 N(2) runs inducing a VRH, no correlations were found between PETCO(2) and TRh and between TRh and both Ed and E. CONCLUSION: During nIPPV, VRH is highly dependent on the carbon dioxide level and can be definitely abolished for severe hypocapnia

Nasal two-level positive-pressure ventilation in normal subjects. Effects of the glottis and ventilation.

The purpose of this study was to examine the behavior of the glottis during intermittent positive-pressure ventilation (nIPPV) using a two-level positive-pressure ventilator and to compare the glottic adaptation to this ventilatory mode with the one observed using volumetric ventilators, recently reported by us. Six healthy subjects were studied during both wakefulness and sleep. Their glottis was continuously monitored through a fiberoptic bronchoscope. We measured breath by breath the widest inspiratory angle formed by the vocal cords at the anterior commissure, the corresponding tidal volume, and other indices. We used the controlled ventilatory mode. The expiratory pressure was kept at 4 cm H2O, and the inspiratory pressure was increased by steps from 10 to 15 to 20 cm H2O. Increases in inspiratory pressure did not always lead to increases in effective ventilation reaching the lungs. This was due to a significant narrowing of the glottis by adduction of the vocal cords in all subjects. Periodic breathing with or without apneas were common during wakefulness, but especially during sleep, representing 10.5 +/- 11% (SD) of total sleep time. We conclude that effective ventilation during nIPPV using a two-level positive-pressure ventilator in the controlled mode is less predictable and less stable than during nIPPV using volumetric ventilators

Glottic aperture and effective minute ventilation during nasal two-level positive pressure ventilation in spontaneous mode.

Our goal was to verify glottic behavior and its effects on effective minute ventilation during intermittent positive pressure ventilation applied at increasing inspiratory pressure levels through a nasal mask (nIPPV) using a two-level positive pressure ventilator (two-level IPPV) in spontaneous mode. Ten subjects were studied while awake. The spontaneous mode was used at three levels of inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP): 10, 15, and 20 cm H2O. The expiratory pressure was kept at 4 cm H2O. Records of spontaneous breathing without nIPPV were also performed. The glottis was continuously monitored through a fiberoptic bronchoscope. We measured, breath by breath, the widest inspiratory angle formed by the vocal cords at the anterior commissure, the corresponding tidal volume (with respiratory inductive plethysmography), the respiratory frequency and other indices. Our data during wakefulness show that inspiratory pressures of 10 and 15 cm H2O did not result in increases in effective minute ventilation with respect to spontaneous breathing. Only at 20 cm H2O of IPAP did effective minute ventilation increase. This was due essentially to a decrease in respiratory frequency with increasing pressures, offsetting increases in tidal volume at 10 and 15, but not at 20 cm H2O of inspiratory pressure. Changes in end-tidal CO2 suggest that alveolar ventilation increased due to the change in breathing pattern. Contrary to what we observed previously with either two-level IPPV used in the controlled mode, or nIPPV performed with volumetric ventilators, the glottis did not play any noticeable role in the control of effective minute ventilation

Determinants of effective ventilation during nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation

Our aim was to verify in healthy subjects submitted to nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (nIPPV) with a volumetric ventilator on controlled mode, whether changes in ventilator settings (delivered tidal volume (VT), respiratory frequency (fR) and inspiratory flow (V'I) could influence effective minute ventilation (V'E), thus allowing identification of the settings resulting in the highest V'E during nIPPV. We then compared these experimentally obtained "best" settings to those obtained retrospectively in a group of patients submitted to long-term nIPPV for clinical reasons. We studied 10 healthy subjects awake and asleep, and 33 patients with restrictive ventilatory disorders. Changes in delivered V'I (for a constant delivered VT and fR) led to significant changes in V'E. V'E was significantly higher when a given delivered V'E was obtained using higher fR and lower VT than when it was obtained using lower delivered fR and higher VT. Increases in fR generally resulted in increases in V'E. The "best" settings derived from these results were: VT: 13 mL.kg-1 of body weight; fR: 20 breaths.min-1 and V'I: 0.56-0.85 L.s-1. The corresponding average values found in the patient group were: delivered VT: 14 mL.kg-1; fR: 23 breaths.min-1 and delivered V'I: 0.51 L.s-1. Changes in minute ventilation resulting from modifications in ventilator settings can be attributed to the glottic response to mechanical influences. This leads to "ideal" settings quite different from the standard ones in intubated patients. Values derived from nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation in healthy subjects seem to apply to patients submitted to long-term nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation

Effectiveness of controlled and spontaneous modes in nasal two-level positive pressure ventilation in awake and asleep normal subjects

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to compare in awake and asleep healthy subjects, under nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (nIPPV) with a two-level intermittent positive pressure device (two-level nIPPV), the efficacy of the controlled and spontaneous modes, and of different ventilator settings in increasing effective minute ventilation (VE). PARTICIPANTS: Eight healthy subjects were studied. SETTING: In the controlled mode, inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) was kept at 15 cm H2O, expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) at 4 cm H2O, and the inspiratory/expiratory (I/E) time ratio at 1. The respirator frequencies were 17 and 25/min. In the spontaneous mode experiment, IPAP was started at 10 cm H2O and progressively increased to 15 and 20 cm H2O; EPAP was kept at 4 cm H2O. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: We measured breath by breath the effective tidal volume (VT with respiratory inductive plethysmography), actual respiratory frequency (f), and effective VE. Using the controlled mode, effective VE was significantly higher on nIPPV than during spontaneous unassisted breathing, except in stage 2 nonrapid eye movement sleep at 17/min of frequency; increases in f from 17 to 25/min led to a significant decrease in VT reaching the lungs, during wakefulness and sleep; effective VE was higher at 25 than at 17/min of frequency only during sleep; periodic breathing was scarce and apneas were never observed. Using the spontaneous mode, with respect to awake spontaneous unassisted breathing, two-level nIPPV at 10 and 15 cm H2O of IPAP did not result in any significant increase in effective VE either in wakefulness or in sleep; only IPAP levels of 20 cm H2O resulted in a significant increase in effective VE; during sleep, effective VE was significantly lower than during wakefulness; respiratory rhythm instability (ie, periodic breathing and central apneas) were exceedingly common, and in some subjects extremely frequent, leading to surprisingly large falls in arterial oxygen saturation. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that two-level nIPPV should be used in the controlled mode rather than in the spontaneous mode, since it seems easier to increase effective VE with a lower IPAP at a high frequency than at a high pressure using the spontaneous mode. We suggest that the initial respirator settings in the controlled mode should be an f around 20/min, an I/E ratio of 1, 15 cm H2O of IPAP, and EPAP as low as possible

Third metacarpal bone mineral density assessment in the standing horse by dual X-day absorptiometry suitability, precision and accuracy

International audienc

Third metacarpal bone mineral density assessment in the standing horse by dual X-ray absorptiometry - Suitability, precision and accuracy

Bone mineral density (BMD) is correlated to mechanical properties of bone. In the horse, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) has yet only been performed ex-vivo, but a new portable DXA device would be ideal for in-vivo BMD measurement. We explored field suitability, precision and accuracy of this device for in-vivo third metacarpal density assessment. Precision was analysed by calculating measurement variation under repeated measurement tests with (reproducibility) and without (repeatability) limb repositioning. Repeatability and reproducibility were tested ex-vivo, at the some time that intra- and inter-operator reproducibility were assessed in-vivo. In order to test accuracy, bone mineral content (BMC) of several bone samples determined by DXA and ashing were compared. Repeatability was 1.47% and reproducibility 1.69% ex-vivo. In-vivo reproducibility varied between 2.91 and 4.06% for intraoperator test and between 3.13 and 5.53% for interoperator test. BMC measured by DXA and ash weight were highly correlated (R-2 > 0.99). In conclusion, under described conditions this DXA device is usable, accurate and precise. Its sensitiveness reaches 8.23% in an individual longitudinal monitoring. Using the third metacarpal bone as an example, we have shown that this device is suitable for experimental or clinical monitoring