Influence of posture, sex, and age on breathing pattern and chest wall motion in healthy subjects.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the effects of posture, sex, and age on breathing pattern and chest wall motion during quiet breathing in healthy participants. METHODS: Eighty-three participants aged 42.72 (SD=21.74) years presenting normal pulmonary function were evaluated by optoelectronic plethysmography in the seated, inclined (with 45° of trunk inclination), and supine positions. This method allowed to assess the chest wall in a three dimensional way considering the chest wall as three compartments: pulmonary rib cage, abdominal rib cage and abdomen. RESULTS: Posture influenced all variables of breathing pattern and chest wall motion, except respiratory rate and duty cycle. Chest wall tidal volume and minute ventilation were reduced (p<0.05) in both sexes from seated to inclined and from seated to supine positions, mainly in males. Moreover, moving from seated to supine position significantly increased the percentage contribution of the abdomen to the tidal volume in both sexes (p<0.0001). Regarding sex, women showed higher contribution of thoracic compartment compared to men (p=0.008). Aging provided reductions on rib cage contributions to tidal volume that were compensated by increases of abdomen contributions (p<0.0001). In addition, increases in end-inspiratory and end-expiratory volumes over the years were observed. CONCLUSION: The degree of contribution of chest wall compartments is dependent on posture, sex, and age. Therefore, verticalization increases expansion of pulmonary rib cage as well as horizontalization increases abdominal displacement. Women presented higher thoracic contribution to tidal volume than men. Aging reduces rib cage contributions to tidal volume that were compensated by increases of abdomen contributions.

The respiratory physiotherapy causes pain in newborns? A systematic review / A fisioterapia respiratória causa dor em neonatos? Uma revisão sistemática

Abstract Introduction: Neonatal respiratory physicaltherapy plays an important role in prevention and treatment of respiratory pathologies. In preterm neonates, immaturity of respiratory system can let development of various respiratory diseases. Meanwhile, it is discussed if respiratory physiotherapy can cause pain. Objective: Investigate presence of pain in neonates undergone to respiratory physiotherapy by a systematic review. Methods: Scientific search in electronic databases: Medline, Lilacs, Bireme, PEDro, Pubmed, Scielo and Capes thesis and dissertations base. Portuguese, English and Spanish, publication year from 2000 to 2012. Results: Thriteen studies were included, but one of them was excluded due to fulltext unavaiable. Therefore, twelve articles were included, nine (81,8%) confirm pain in newborn (NB), from these, in eight (72,7%) intervention was suction and in only one vibrocompression. Four articles studied term and premature newborns. Mechanical ventilatory assistance was used in seven of the studies analyzed. Conclusion: Results suggest that suction and vibrocompression were pain causers in NB. However, evidenced the necessity of well delineated methods to evaluate if physicaltherapy techniques can cause pain in neonates.

Resumo Introdução: A fisioterapia respiratória neonatal representa um papel importante na prevenção e tratamento das patologias de origem respiratória. Em neonatos pré-termos , a imaturidade do sistema respiratório pode levar ao desenvolvimento de várias doenças respiratórias. Porém, é discutido se a fisioterapia respiratória possa causar dor. Objetivo: Investigar a presença de dor em neonatos submetidos à fisioterapia respiratória por meio de uma revisão sistemática. Métodos: Busca científica nas bases eletrônicas de dados: Medline, Lilacs, Bireme, PEDro, Scielo e base de teses e dissertações da Capes, nas línguas portuguesa, inglesa e espanhola, ano de publicação de 2000 a 2012. Resultados: Treze estudos foram considerados elegíveis, porém um dos estudos foi excluído devido a indisponibilidade do texto na íntegra. Dos 12 trabalhos incluídos, nove (81,8%) comprovaram presença de dor em recém-nascidos (RN), destes, em oito (72,7%) a intervenção realizada foi a aspiração e, em apenas um, a vibrocompressão. Quatro artigos estudaram neonatos a termo e pretermo. A assistência ventilatória mecânica foi utilizada em sete dos estudos analisados. Conclusão: Os resultados sugerem que a aspiração e a vibrocompressão são causas de dor em RN. Entretanto, evidenciou a necessidade de métodos bem delineados para avaliar se as técnicas de fisioterapia podem causar dor em neonatos.