An emergency system for monitoring pulse oximetry, peak expiratory flow, and body temperature of patients with COVID-19 at home: Development and preliminary application.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is characterized by a rapid change in the patient's condition, with major changes occurring over a few days. We aimed to develop and evaluate an emergency system for monitoring patients with COVID-19, which may be useful in hospitals where more severe patients stay in their homes. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The system consists of the home-based patient unit, which is set up around the patient and the hospital unit, which enables the medical staff to telemonitor the patient's condition and help to send medical recommendations. The home unit allows the data transmission from the patient to the hospital, which is performed using a cell phone application. The hospital unit includes a virtual instrument developed in LabVIEW® environment that can provide a real-time monitoring of the oxygen saturation (SpO2), beats per minute (BPM), body temperature (BT), and peak expiratory flow (PEF). Abnormal events may be fast and automatically identified. After the design details are described, the system is validated by a 30-day home monitoring study in 12 controls and 12 patients with COVID-19 presenting asymptomatic to mild disease. Patients presented reduced SpO2 (p<0.0001) and increased BPM values (p<0.0001). Three patients (25%) presented PEF values between 50 and 80% of the predicted. Three of the 12 monitored patients presented events of desaturation (SpO2<92%). The experimental results were in close agreement with the involved pathophysiology, providing clear evidence that the proposed system can be a useful tool for the remote monitoring of patients with COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: An emergency system for home monitoring of patients with COVID-19 was developed in the current study. The proposed system allowed us to quickly respond to early abnormalities in these patients. This system may contribute to conserving hospital resources for those most in need while simultaneously enabling early recognition of patients under acute deterioration, requiring urgent assessment.

Respiratory resistance and reactance in adults with sickle cell anemia: Part 2-Fractional-order modeling and a clinical decision support system for the diagnosis of respiratory disorders.

BACKGROUND: A better understanding of sickle cell anemia (SCA) and improvements in drug therapy and health policy have contributed to the emergence of a large population of adults living with this disease. The mechanisms by which SCA produces adverse effects on the respiratory system of these patients are largely unknown. Fractional-order (FrOr) models have a high potential to improve pulmonary clinical science and could be useful for diagnostic purposes, offering accurate models with an improved ability to mimic nature. Part 2 of this two-part study examines the changes in respiratory mechanics in patients with SCA using the new perspective of the FrOr models. These results are compared with those obtained in traditional forced oscillation (FOT) parameters, investigated in Part 1 of the present study, complementing this first analysis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The data consisted of three categories of subjects: controls (n = 23), patients with a normal spirometric exam (n = 21) and those presenting restriction (n = 24). The diagnostic accuracy was evaluated by investigating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Initially, it was observed that biomechanical changes in SCA included increased values of fractional inertance, as well as damping and hysteresivity (p<0.001). The correlation analysis showed that FrOr parameters are associated with functional exercise capacity (R = -0.57), pulmonary diffusion (R = -0.71), respiratory muscle performance (R = 0.50), pulmonary flows (R = -0.62) and airway obstruction (R = 0.60). Fractional-order modeling showed high diagnostic accuracy in the detection of early respiratory abnormalities (AUC = 0.93), outperforming spirometry (p<0.03) and standard FOT analysis (p<0.01) used in Part 1 of this study. A combination of machine learning methods with fractional-order modeling further improved diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.97). CONCLUSIONS: FrOr modeling improved our knowledge about the biomechanical abnormalities in adults with SCA. Changes in FrOr parameters are associated with functional exercise capacity decline, abnormal pulmonary mechanics and diffusion. FrOr modeling outperformed spirometric and traditional forced oscillation analyses, showing a high diagnostic accuracy in the diagnosis of early respiratory abnormalities that was further improved by an automatic clinical decision support system. This finding suggested the potential utility of this combination to help identify early respiratory changes in patients with SCA.

Reference values for respiratory impedance measured by the forced oscillation technique in adult men and women.

INTRODUCTION: The forced oscillation technique (FOT) is a particularly useful test of the mechanical properties of the respiratory system that has an increasingly important role in lung function laboratories. There is general agreement in the literature that the determination of reference values is of utmost importance in the clinical use of the FOT. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to present reference values for whole-breath FOT measurements, establish which anthropometric variables were more predictive of impedance parameters, and provide all the details to adequately adopt these reference equations in individual laboratories. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated a randomly selected non-smoking sample of the adult Brazilian population (288 subjects, 144 males and 144 females aged 20-86 years). The volunteers were separated by sex and divided into six groups based on decade of age. Sex-specific linear prediction equations were developed by multiple regression analysis using age, body mass and height as explanatory variables. RESULTS: Age introduced a slight, but significant, reduction of resistance in men (P < .001) and women (P < .001). In general, significantly higher values of resistance were observed in females (P < .0001). Among the anthropometric variables analyzed, height was the best predictor for all parameters studied. CONCLUSION: This study provides an original frame of reference for the FOT in Brazilian males and females aged 20-86 years. Height was the best predictor of respiratory impedance parameters. Details contributing to an adequate adoption of these reference equations elsewhere by transference and verification are also provided.

Respiratory resistance and reactance in adults with sickle cell anemia: Correlation with functional exercise capacity and diagnostic use.

BACKGROUND: The improvement in sickle cell anemia (SCA) care resulted in the emergence of a large population of adults living with this disease. The mechanisms of lung injury in this new population are largely unknown. The forced oscillation technique (FOT) represents the current state-of-the-art in the assessment of lung function. The present work uses the FOT to improve our knowledge about the respiratory abnormalities in SCA, evaluates the associations of FOT with the functional exercise capacity and investigates the early detection of respiratory abnormalities. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Spirometric classification of restrictive abnormalities resulted in three categories: controls (n = 23), patients with a normal exam (n = 21) and presenting pulmonary restriction (n = 24). FOT analysis showed that, besides restrictive changes (reduced compliance; p<0.001), there is also an increase in respiratory resistance (p<0.001) and ventilation heterogeneity (p<0.01). FOT parameters are associated with functional exercise capacity (R = -0.38), pulmonary diffusion (R = 0.66), respiratory muscle performance (R = 0.41), pulmonary volumes (R = 0.56) and airway obstruction (R = 0.54). The diagnostic accuracy was evaluated by investigating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). A combination of FOT and machine learning (ML) classifiers showed adequate diagnostic accuracy in the detection of early respiratory abnormalities (AUC = 0.82). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the use of FOT showed that adults with SCA develop a mixed pattern of respiratory disease. Changes in FOT parameters are associated with functional exercise capacity decline, abnormal pulmonary mechanics and diffusion. FOT associated with ML methods accurately diagnosed early respiratory abnormalities. This suggested the potential utility of the FOT and ML clinical decision support systems in the identification of respiratory abnormalities in patients with SCA.

Predictive models of six-minute walking distance in adults with sickle cell anemia: Implications for rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is characterized by a broad spectrum of abnormalities that affect most body organs and systems. To date, there is few data on the influence of these patients' clinical characteristics on the functional exercise capacity. AIM: To investigate the effect of the clinical complications on the functional exercise capacity of adult SCA patients. METHOD: Cross-sectional study, where 45 SCA patients underwent clinical evaluations, echocardiography, pulmonary function testing, and determination of six-minute walking distance (6MWD). RESULTS: A significant correlation (P < 0.001) was found between 6MWD and hemoglobin (Hb) level, tricuspid regurgitation velocity, forced vital capacity, acute chest syndrome, and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide. The prediction model for 6MWD explained 67% of the 6MWD variability (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Hemodynamics, cardiovascular function, pulmonary function, and episodes of acute lung injury seem to impact the 6MWD in adults with SCA.

Early Diagnosis of Respiratory Abnormalities in Asbestos-Exposed Workers by the Forced Oscillation Technique.

BACKGROUND: The current reference test for the detection of respiratory abnormalities in asbestos-exposed workers is spirometry. However, spirometry has several shortcomings that greatly affect the efficacy of current asbestos control programs. The forced oscillation technique (FOT) represents the current state-of-the-art technique in the assessment of lung function. This method provides a detailed analysis of respiratory resistance and reactance at different oscillatory frequencies during tidal breathing. Here, we evaluate the FOT as an alternative method to standard spirometry for the early detection and quantification of respiratory abnormalities in asbestos-exposed workers. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Seventy-two subjects were analyzed. The control group was composed of 33 subjects with a normal spirometric exam who had no history of smoking or pulmonary disease. Thirty-nine subjects exposed to asbestos were also studied, including 32 volunteers in radiological category 0/0 and 7 volunteers with radiological categories of 0/1 or 1/1. FOT data were interpreted using classical parameters as well as integer (InOr) and fractional-order (FrOr) modeling. The diagnostic accuracy was evaluated by investigating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Exposed workers presented increased obstruction (resistance p<0.001) and a reduced compliance (p<0.001), with a predominance of obstructive changes. The FOT parameter changes were correlated with the standard pulmonary function analysis methods (R = -0.52, p<0.001). Early respiratory abnormalities were identified with a high diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.987) using parameters obtained from the FrOr modeling. This accuracy was significantly better than those obtained with classical (p<0.001) and InOr (p<0.001) model parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The FOT improved our knowledge about the biomechanical abnormalities in workers exposed to asbestos. Additionally, a high diagnostic accuracy in the diagnosis of early respiratory abnormalities in asbestos-exposed workers was obtained. This makes the FOT particularly useful as a screening tool in the context of asbestos control and elimination. Moreover, it can facilitate epidemiological research and the longitudinal follow-up of asbestos exposure and asbestos-related diseases.

Changes seen on computed tomography of the chest in mildly symptomatic adult patients with sickle cell disease / Alterações na tomografia computadorizada do tórax em pacientes adultos oligossintomáticos com doença falciforme

Abstract Objective: To describe and quantify the main changes seen on computed tomography of the chest in mildly symptomatic adult patients with sickle cell disease, as well as to evaluate the radiologist accuracy in determining the type of hemoglobinopathy. Materials and Methods: A prospective study involving 44 adult patients with sickle cell disease who underwent inspiration and expiration computed tomography of the chest. The frequency of tomography findings and the extent of involvement are reported. We also calculated radiologist accuracy in determining the type of hemoglobinopathy by analyzing the pulmonary alterations and morphology of the spleen. Results: The changes found on computed tomography scans, in descending order of frequency, were as follows: fibrotic opacities (81.8%); mosaic attenuation (56.8%); architectural distortion (31.8%); cardiomegaly (25.0%); lobar volume reduction (18.2%); and increased caliber of peripheral pulmonary arteries (9.1%). For most of the findings, the involvement was considered mild, five or fewer lung segments being affected. The accuracy in determining the type of hemoglobinopathy (HbSS group versus not HbSS group) was 72.7%. Conclusion: In adult patients with sickle cell disease, the main tomography findings reflect fibrotic changes. In addition, computed tomography can be helpful in differentiating among hemoglobinopathies.

Resumo Objetivo: Descrever e quantificar as principais alterações na tomografia computadorizada do tórax em pacientes adultos oligossintomáticos com doença falciforme e, secundariamente, avaliar o índice de acerto do radiologista quanto ao tipo de hemoglobinopatia. Materiais e Métodos: Estudo prospectivo em que 44 pacientes adultos com doença falciforme foram submetidos a tomografia computadorizada do tórax tanto em inspiração como em expiração. Foram descritos a frequência dos achados tomográficos e os graus de acometimento. Por meio da análise das alterações pulmonares e do padrão morfológico do baço, foi calculado o índice de acerto do radiologista quanto ao tipo de hemoglobinopatia. Resultados: As alterações encontradas nos exames de tomografia computadorizada, em ordem decrescente de frequência, foram: opacidades reticulares (81,8%), padrão de atenuação em mosaico (56,8%), distorção arquitetural (31,8%), cardiomegalia (25%), redução volumétrica lobar (18,2%) e aumento do calibre de ramos periféricos das artérias pulmonares (9,1%). Na maioria dos achados o grau de acometimento foi considerado leve, com até cinco segmentos pulmonares acometidos. O índice de acerto quanto ao tipo de hemoglobinopatia (grupo HbSS versus grupo não HbSS) foi 72,7%. Conclusão: Em pacientes adultos com doença falciforme os principais achados tomográficos refletem alterações fibróticas. Além do mais, a tomografia computadorizada pode ser útil na diferenciação do tipo de hemoglobinopatia.

Within-breath respiratory impedance and airway obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVE: Recent work has suggested that within-breath respiratory impedance measurements performed using the forced oscillation technique may help to noninvasively evaluate respiratory mechanics. We investigated the influence of airway obstruction on the within-breath forced oscillation technique in smokers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and evaluated the contribution of this analysis to the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. METHODS: Twenty healthy individuals and 20 smokers were assessed. The study also included 74 patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We evaluated the mean respiratory impedance (Zm) as well as values for the inspiration (Zi) and expiration cycles (Ze) at the beginning of inspiration (Zbi) and expiration (Zbe), respectively. The peak-to-peak impedance (Zpp=Zbe-Zbi) and the respiratory cycle dependence (ΔZrs=Ze-Zi) were also analyzed. The diagnostic utility was evaluated by investigating the sensitivity, the specificity and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01888705. RESULTS: Airway obstruction increased the within-breath respiratory impedance parameters that were significantly correlated with the spirometric indices of airway obstruction (R=-0.65, p<0.0001). In contrast to the control subjects and the smokers, the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients presented significant expiratory-inspiratory differences (p<0.002). The adverse effects of moderate airway obstruction were detected based on the Zpp with an accuracy of 83%. Additionally, abnormal effects in severe and very severe patients were detected based on the Zm, Zi, Ze, Zbe, Zpp and ΔZrs with a high degree of accuracy (>90%). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude the following: (1) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease introduces higher respiratory cycle dependence, (2) this increase is proportional to airway obstruction, and (3) the within-breath forced oscillation technique may provide novel parameters that facilitate the diagnosis of respiratory abnormalities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Within-breath respiratory impedance and airway obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

OBJECTIVE: Recent work has suggested that within-breath respiratory impedance measurements performed using the forced oscillation technique may help to noninvasively evaluate respiratory mechanics. We investigated the influence of airway obstruction on the within-breath forced oscillation technique in smokers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and evaluated the contribution of this analysis to the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. METHODS: Twenty healthy individuals and 20 smokers were assessed. The study also included 74 patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We evaluated the mean respiratory impedance (Zm) as well as values for the inspiration (Zi) and expiration cycles (Ze) at the beginning of inspiration (Zbi) and expiration (Zbe), respectively. The peak-to-peak impedance (Zpp=Zbe-Zbi) and the respiratory cycle dependence (ΔZrs=Ze-Zi) were also analyzed. The diagnostic utility was evaluated by investigating the sensitivity, the specificity and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01888705. RESULTS: Airway obstruction increased the within-breath respiratory impedance parameters that were significantly correlated with the spirometric indices of airway obstruction (R=−0.65, p<0.0001). In contrast to the control subjects and the smokers, the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients presented significant expiratory-inspiratory differences (p<0.002). The adverse effects of moderate airway obstruction were detected based on the Zpp with an accuracy of 83%. Additionally, abnormal effects in severe and very severe patients were detected based on the Zm, Zi, Ze, Zbe, Zpp and ΔZrs with a high degree of accuracy (>90%). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude the following: (1) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease introduces higher respiratory cycle dependence, (2) this increase is proportional to airway obstruction, and (3) ...

Técnica de oscilações forçadas na prática pneumológica / Forced oscillation technique in pulmonology practice: principles and examples of potential application

Requerendo apenas cooperação passiva e fornecendo novos parâmetros para análise da mecânica ventilatória, a Técnica de Oscilações Forçadas (TOF) apresenta características complementares aos métodos clássicos de avaliação pulmonar. O método é útil em estudos relacionados a fisiopatologia e apresenta elevado potencial para uso diagnóstico. No entanto a TOF é considerada como estado da arte em termos de avaliação respiratória e ainda não é suficientemente divulgada. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho apresenta uma breve revisão sobre a TOF. Inicialmente os princípios da técnica são descritos juntamente com uma discussão sobre suas vantagens e atuais limitações. São apresentados alguns exemplos de aplicações efetuadas anteriormente por nosso grupo, incluindo a avaliação de pacientes com DPOC, silicose e a identificação da limitação de fluxo expiratório. Com base nos princípios apresentados, nos resultados descritos na literatura e nos obtidos em diversos estudos efetuados em nosso laboratório, concluímos que a TOF pode contribuir para um exame mais detalhado das alterações respiratórias, assim como para facilitar a realização de testes de função pulmonar em condições onde astécnicas tradicionais não são adequadas.

Requesting only passive subject cooperation and providing new parameters for the analysis of respiratory mechanics, the Forced Oscillations Technique (FOT) presents complementary characteristics to the classic methods of lung function analysis. The method is useful in studies related to pathophysiology and presents a high potential for diagnostic use. However, the TOF is still considered a state of the art method in terms of respiratory evaluation and is not yet sufficiently widespread. In this context, this paper presents a brief review of the TOF. Initially the principles of this technique are presented together with a discussion about its advantages and present limitations. Some examples of applications performed previously by our research group are presented, including the assessment of patients with COPD, silicosis and the identification of expiratory flow limitation. Based on the presented principles, the results described in the literature and that obtained from the several studies performed in our laboratory, we conclude that the FOT may contribute to a more detailed analysis of the respiratory changes, as well as to facilitate the realization of pulmonary function tests under conditions where traditional techniques are not appropriate.

Oscillation mechanics of the respiratory system in never-smoking patients with silicosis: pathophysiological study and evaluation of diagnostic accuracy.

OBJECTIVES: Silicosis is a chronic and incurable occupational disease that can progress even after the cessation of exposure. Recent studies suggest that the forced oscillation technique may help to clarify the changes in lung mechanics resulting from silicosis as well as the detection of these changes. We investigated the effects of airway obstruction in silicosis on respiratory impedance and evaluated the diagnostic efficacy of the forced oscillation technique in these patients. METHODS: Spirometry was used to classify the airway obstruction, which resulted in four subject categories: controls (n=21), patients with a normal exam (n=12), patients with mild obstruction (n=22), and patients with moderate-to-severe obstruction (n=12). Resistive data were interpreted using the zero-intercept resistance (R0), the resistance at 4 Hz (Rrs4), and the mean resistance. We also analyzed the mean reactance (Xm) and the dynamic compliance. The total mechanical load was evaluated using the absolute value of the respiratory impedance (Z4Hz). The diagnostic potential was evaluated by investigating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01725971. RESULTS: We observed significant (p<0.0002) increases in R0, Rrs4, Rm, and Z4Hz and significant reductions in Crs,dyn (p<0.0002) and Xm (p<0.0001). R0, Rrs4, Rm, and Z4Hz performed adequately in the diagnosis of mild obstruction (area under the curve>0.80) and highly accurately in the detection of moderate-to-severe obstruction (area under the curve>0.90). CONCLUSIONS: The forced oscillation technique may contribute to the study of the pathophysiology of silicosis and may improve the treatment offered to these patients, thus representing an alternative and/or complementary tool for evaluating respiratory mechanics.

Contrasting diagnosis performance of forced oscillation and spirometry in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and respiratory symptoms.

OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary involvement in rheumatoid arthritis is directly responsible for 10% to 20% of all mortality. The best way to improve the prognosis is early detection and treatment. The forced oscillation technique is easy to perform and offers a detailed exam, which may be helpful in the early detection of respiratory changes. This study was undertaken to (1) evaluate the clinical potential of the forced oscillation technique in the detection of early respiratory alterations in rheumatoid arthritis patients with respiratory complaints and (2) to compare the sensitivity of forced oscillation technique and spirometric parameters. METHODS: A total of 40 individuals were analyzed: 20 healthy and 20 with rheumatoid arthritis (90% with respiratory complaints). The clinical usefulness of the parameters was evaluated by investigating the sensibility, the specificity and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01641705. RESULTS: The early adverse respiratory effects of rheumatoid arthritis were adequately detected by the forced oscillation technique parameters, and a high accuracy for clinical use was obtained (AUC.0.9, Se = 80%, Sp = 95%). The use of spirometric parameters did not obtain an appropriate accuracy for clinical use. The diagnostic performance of the forced oscillation technique parameters was significantly higher than that of spirometry. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study provide substantial evidence that the forced oscillation technique can contribute to the easy identification of initial respiratory abnormalities in rheumatoid arthritis patients that are not detectable by spirometric exams. Therefore, we believe that the forced oscillation technique can be used as a complementary exam that may help to improve the treatment of breathing disorders in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Contrasting diagnosis performance of forced oscillation and spirometry in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and respiratory symptoms

OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary involvement in rheumatoid arthritis is directly responsible for 10% to 20% of all mortality. The best way to improve the prognosis is early detection and treatment. The forced oscillation technique is easy to perform and offers a detailed exam, which may be helpful in the early detection of respiratory changes. This study was undertaken to (1) evaluate the clinical potential of the forced oscillation technique in the detection of early respiratory alterations in rheumatoid arthritis patients with respiratory complaints and (2) to compare the sensitivity of forced oscillation technique and spirometric parameters. METHODS: A total of 40 individuals were analyzed: 20 healthy and 20 with rheumatoid arthritis (90% with respiratory complaints). The clinical usefulness of the parameters was evaluated by investigating the sensibility, the specificity and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01641705. RESULTS: The early adverse respiratory effects of rheumatoid arthritis were adequately detected by the forced oscillation technique parameters, and a high accuracy for clinical use was obtained (AUC.0.9, Se = 80%, Sp = 95%). The use of spirometric parameters did not obtain an appropriate accuracy for clinical use. The diagnostic performance of the forced oscillation technique parameters was significantly higher than that of spirometry. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study provide substantial evidence that the forced oscillation technique can contribute to the easy identification of initial respiratory abnormalities in rheumatoid arthritis patients that are not detectable by spirometric exams. Therefore, we believe that the forced oscillation technique can be used as a complementary exam that may help to improve the treatment of breathing disorders in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Severity classification for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis by using fuzzy logic.

OBJECTIVE: To set out a severity classification for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) based on the interaction of pulmonary function parameters with high resolution computed tomography (CT) findings. INTRODUCTION: Despite the contribution of functional and radiological methods in the study of IPF, there are few classification proposals for the disease based on these examinations. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out, in which 41 non-smoking patients with IPF were evaluated. The following high resolution CT findings were quantified using a semi-quantitative scoring system: reticular abnormality, honeycombing and ground-glass opacity. The functional variables were measured by spirometry, forced oscillation technique, helium dilution method, as well as the single-breath method of diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide. With the interaction between functional indexes and high resolution CT scores through fuzzy logic, a classification for IPF has been built. RESULTS: Out of 41 patients studied, 26 were male and 15 female, with a mean age of 70.8 years. Volume measurements were the variables which showed the best interaction with the disease extension on high resolution CT, while the forced vital capacity showed the lowest estimative errors in comparison to total lung capacity. A classification for IPF was suggested based on the 95% confidence interval of the forced vital capacity %: mild group (>92.7); moderately mild (76.9-92.6); moderate (64.3-76.8%); moderately severe (47.1-64.2); severe (24.3-47.0); and very severe (<24.3). CONCLUSION: Through fuzzy logic, an IPF classification was built based on forced vital capacity measurement with a simple practical application.

A telemedicine instrument for Internet-based home monitoring of thoracoabdominal motion in patients with respiratory diseases.

Changes in thoracoabdominal motion are highly prevalent in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Home care services that use telemedicine techniques and Internet-based monitoring have the potential to improve the management of these patients. However, there is no detailed description in the literature of a system for Internet-based monitoring of patients with disturbed thoracoabdominal motion. The purpose of this work was to describe the development of a new telemedicine instrument for Internet-based home monitoring of thoracoabdominal movement. The instrument directly measures changes in the thorax and abdomen circumferences and transfers data through a transmission control protocol∕Internet protocol connection. After the design details are described, the accuracy of the electronic and software processing units of the instrument is evaluated by using electronic signals simulating normal subjects and individuals with thoracoabdominal motion disorders. The results obtained during in vivo studies on normal subjects simulating thoracoabdominal motion disorders showed that this new system is able to detect a reduction in abdominal movement that is associated with abnormal thoracic breathing (p < 0.0001) and the reduction in thoracic movement during abnormal abdominal breathing (p < 0.005). Simulated asynchrony in thoracoabdominal motion was also adequately detected by the system (p < 0.0001). The experimental results obtained for patients with respiratory diseases were in close agreement with the expected values, providing evidence that this instrument can be a useful tool for the evaluation of thoracoabdominal motion. The Internet transmission tests showed that the acquisition and analysis of the thoracoabdominal motion signals can be performed remotely. The user can also receive medical recommendations. The proposed system can be used in a spectrum of telemedicine scenarios, which can reduce the costs of assistance offered to patients with respiratory diseases.

Total inspiratory and expiratory impedance in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

OBJECTIVES: Several studies have confirmed the high potential of the forced oscillation technique for the assessment of respiratory modifications related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, most of these studies did not employ within-breath analyses of the respiratory system. The aim of this study is to analyze respiratory impedance alterations in different phases of the respiratory cycle of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and to evaluate their clinical use. METHODS: 39 individuals were evaluated, including 20 controls and 19 individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who experienced severe airway obstruction.Weevaluated the mean respiratory impedance (Zm) as well as values for inspiration (Zi) and expiration cycles (Ze), at the beginning of inspiration (Zbi) and expiration (Zbe). The peak-to-peak impedance (Zpp), and the impedance change (DZrs) were also analyzed. The clinical usefulness was evaluated by investigating the sensibility, specificity and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: The respiratory impedance increased in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in all of the studied parameters (Zm, Zi, Ze, Zbi, Zbe, DZrs and Zpp). These changes were inversely associated with spirometric parameters. Higher impedanceswere observed in the expiratory phase of individualswith chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. All of the studied parameters, except for DZrs (area under the receiver operating characteristic ,0.8), exhibited high accuracy for clinical use (area under the receiver operating characteristic .0.90; Sensibility $ 0.85; Sp $ 0.85). CONCLUSIONS: The respiratory alterations in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may be identified by the increase in respiratory system impedance, which is more evident in the expiratory phase. These results confirm the potential of within-breath analysis of respiratory impedance for the assessment of respiratory modifications related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Severity classification for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis by using fuzzy logic

OBJECTIVE: To set out a severity classification for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) based on the interaction of pulmonary function parameters with high resolution computed tomography (CT) findings. INTRODUCTION: Despite the contribution of functional and radiological methods in the study of IPF, there are few classification proposals for the disease based on these examinations. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out, in which 41 non-smoking patients with IPF were evaluated. The following high resolution CT findings were quantified using a semi-quantitative scoring system: reticular abnormality, honeycombing and ground-glass opacity. The functional variables were measured by spirometry, forced oscillation technique, helium dilution method, as well as the single-breath method of diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide. With the interaction between functional indexes and high resolution CT scores through fuzzy logic, a classification for IPF has been built. RESULTS: Out of 41 patients studied, 26 were male and 15 female, with a mean age of 70.8 years. Volume measurements were the variables which showed the best interaction with the disease extension on high resolution CT, while the forced vital capacity showed the lowest estimative errors in comparison to total lung capacity. A classification for IPF was suggested based on the 95 percent confidence interval of the forced vital capacity percent: mild group (>92.7); moderately mild (76.9-92.6); moderate (64.3-76.8 percent); moderately severe (47.1-64.2); severe (24.3-47.0); and very severe (<24.3). CONCLUSION: Through fuzzy logic, an IPF classification was built based on forced vital capacity measurement with a simple practical application.

Forced oscillation technique in the detection of smoking-induced respiratory alterations: diagnostic accuracy and comparison with spirometry.

INTRODUCTION: Detection of smoking effects is of utmost importance in the prevention of cigarette-induced chronic airway obstruction. The forced oscillation technique offers a simple and detailed approach to investigate the mechanical properties of the respiratory system. However, there have been no data concerning the use of the forced oscillation technique to evaluate respiratory mechanics in groups with different degrees of tobacco consumption. OBJECTIVES: (1) to evaluate the ability of the forced oscillation technique to detect smoking-induced respiratory alterations, with special emphasis on early alterations; and (2) to compare the diagnostic accuracy of the forced oscillation technique and spirometric parameters. METHODS: One hundred and seventy subjects were divided into five groups according to the number of pack-years smoked: four groups of smokers classified as < 20, 20-39, 40-59, and > 60 pack-years and a control group. The four groups of smokers were compared with the control group using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: The early adverse effects of smoking in the group with < 20 pack-years were adequately detected by forced oscillation technique parameters. In this group, the comparisons of the ROC curves showed significantly better diagnostic accuracy (p < 0.01) for forced oscillation technique parameters. On the other hand, in groups of 20-39, 40-59, and > 60 pack-years, the diagnostic performance of the forced oscillation technique was similar to that observed with spirometry. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that forced oscillation technique parameters were able to detect early smoking-induced respiratory involvement when pathologic changes are still potentially reversible. These findings support the use of the forced oscillation technique as a versatile clinical diagnostic tool in helping with chronic obstructive lung disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Forced oscillation technique in the detection of smoking-induced respiratory alterations: diagnostic accuracy and comparison with spirometry

INTRODUCTION: Detection of smoking effects is of utmost importance in the prevention of cigarette-induced chronic airway obstruction. The forced oscillation technique offers a simple and detailed approach to investigate the mechanical properties of the respiratory system. However, there have been no data concerning the use of the forced oscillation technique to evaluate respiratory mechanics in groups with different degrees of tobacco consumption. OBJECTIVES: (1) to evaluate the ability of the forced oscillation technique to detect smoking-induced respiratory alterations, with special emphasis on early alterations; and (2) to compare the diagnostic accuracy of the forced oscillation technique and spirometric parameters. METHODS: One hundred and seventy subjects were divided into five groups according to the number of pack-years smoked: four groups of smokers classified as <20, 20-39, 40-59, and >60 pack-years and a control group. The four groups of smokers were compared with the control group using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: The early adverse effects of smoking in the group with <20 pack-years were adequately detected by forced oscillation technique parameters. In this group, the comparisons of the ROC curves showed significantly better diagnostic accuracy (p<0.01) for forced oscillation technique parameters. On the other hand, in groups of 20-39, 40-59, and >60 pack-years, the diagnostic performance of the forced oscillation technique was similar to that observed with spirometry. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that forced oscillation technique parameters were able to detect early smoking-induced respiratory involvement when pathologic changes are still potentially reversible. These findings support the use of the forced oscillation technique as a versatile clinical diagnostic tool in helping with chronic obstructive lung disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Técnica de oscilações forçadas na avaliação funcional de pacientes com fibrose cística com idade superior a 18 anos / Forced oscillation techinique for the functional evaluation of cystic fibrosis patients older 18 years

Objetivo: o objetivo deste estudo foi investigar as alterações nas propriedades resistivas e reativas do sistema respiratório de pacientes com fibrose cística. Metodologia: o estudo foi realizado em um grupo controle de 23 indivíduos saudáveis, e em um grupo de 27 pacientes com fibrose cística com idade maior que 18 anos que foram avaliados pela FOT e espirometria. Resultados: os pacientes com fibrose cística apresentaram aumento significativo (p<0,0001) na resistência total do sistema respiratório (R0), redução significativa do coeficiente angular da curva de resistência (S) (p<0,0006) e na complacência dinâmica (Cdin, sr) (p<0,0001) em comparação aos indivíduos saudáveis. Conclusão: os resultados do presente estudo são coerentes com a fisiopatologia da fibrose cística. A FOT descreveu adequadamente estas alterações, demonstrando elevado potencial na avaliação da mecânica pulmonar de pacientes com fibrose cística com idade superior a 18 anos.

Introduction: The aims of this study were (1) to investigate the changes in resistive and reactive properties of the respiratory system of cystic fibrosis patients older than 18 years and (2) assess the contribution of the forced oscillation technique (FOT) in the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis. Methodology: The study was conducted in a control group of 23 healthy individuals and a group of 27 cystic fibrosis patients older than 18 years who were assessed by the FOT and spirometry. Results: Cysticfibrosis patients presented increased total respiratory resistance (R0) (p <0.0001) and reduced slope of resistance curve (S) (p<0.0006) and dynamic compliance (Cdyn,rs) (p <0.0001) compared to healthy individuals. Conclusion: The results of thisstudy are consistent with the pathophysiology of cystic fibrosis. The FOT adequately described these changes, showing great potential in assessing pulmonary mechanics of patients with cystic fibrosis with age over 18 years.