Systems and methods for respiratory event detection

The present invention is directed to improved systems and methods for processing respiratory signals derived generally from respiratory plethysmography, and especially from respiratory inductive plethysmographic sensors mounted on a garment for ambulatory recording. The systems and methods provide improved signal filtering for artifact rejection, improved calibration of sensor data to produce outputs indicative of lung volumes. Further, this invention provides improved systems and methods directed to processing lung volume signals, however measured or derived, to provide improved determination of respiratory parameters and improved recognition of selected respiratory events

The Influence of Inspiratory and Expiratory Muscle Training Upon Rowing Performance

We investigated the effect of 4 week of inspiratory (IMT) or expiratory muscle training (EMT), as well as the effect of a subsequent 6 week period of combined IMT/EMT on rowing performance in club-level oarsmen. Seventeen male rowers were allocated to either an IMT (n = 10) or EMT (n = 7) group. The groups underwent a 4 week IMT or EMT program; after interim testing, both groups subsequently performed a 6 week program of combined IMT/EMT. Exercise performance and physiological responses to exercise were measured at 4 and 10 week during an incremental rowing ergometer ‘step-test’ and a 6 min all-out (6MAO) effort. Pressure threshold respiratory muscle training was undertaken at the 30 repetition maximum load (~50% of the peak inspiratory and expiratory mouth pressure, PImax or PEmax,respectively). PImax increased during the IMT phase of the training in the IMT group (26%, P < 0.001) and was accompanied by an improvement in mean power during the 6MAO (2.7%, P = 0.015). Despite an increase in PEmax by the end of the intervention (31%, P = 0.03), the EMT group showed no significant changes in any performance parameters during either the ‘step-test’ or 6MAO. There were no significant changes in breathing pattern or the metabolic response to the 6MAO test in either group, but the IMT group showed a small decrease in HR (2–5%, P = 0.001). We conclude that there were no significant additional changes following combined IMT/EMT. IMT improved rowing performance, but EMT and subsequent combined IMT/EMT did not