Load compensation in obese patients during quiet tidal breathing

Abstract

Seventeen eucapnic massively obese patients and eight normal subjects had their respiratory cycle parameters studied while breathing room air at rest. Despite large variations in the degree of obesity, our patients demonstrated normal mean inspiratory and expiratory flow rates, duty cycles, and minute ventilation. The maintenance of normal mean inspiratory flow rates was found to be dependent on an augmentation of neuromuscular drive (P0.1); furthermore, a strong positive correlation between percentage ideal body weight (i.e., the degree of obesity) and P0.1 was present. The obese were found to partition their tidal volume preferentially to their rib cage compartment, choosing to leave the abdominal compartment relatively immobile. Analysis of the diaphragmatic electromyogram revealed a persistence of activity into early expiration, the length of which also depended on the degree of obesity. These findings suggest that the diaphragm's volume-generating function in the obese is reduced, and furthermore the persistence of its activity in expiration serves to attenuate the rate of expiratory flow. No significant difference in any respiratory cycle parameter was found between simple obesity patients and formerly hypercapnic obese patients.

Obesity, Nutrition, and Asthma in Children

“…Some data in adults suggest that obesity may lead to reduced lung volumes 39,40 and greater airway responsiveness. [41][42][43] These observations have led to the hypothesis that obesity-related chest wall restriction and the resultant breathing at low lung volume leads to airway obstruction, reactivity, and an asthma-like phenotype.…”

The “Senobi” breathing exercise is recommended as first line treatment for obesity

“…After performing the "Senobi" breathing for 1 min, thermography shows an increase in skin temperature of the erector spinae group between scapulas (our unpublished observation). Moreover, it is well known that both abdominal breathing and thoracic respiration are effective weight-loss methods that can be done easily (4,12,(16)(17)(18). The present study was undertaken to determine whether the "Senobi" breathing method is an effective first line treatment for obesity in women.…”

Lung Function and Respiratory Muscle Strength in Obese in Children

“…Распространенность симптомов одышки возрастает с увеличением индекса массы тела или окружности талии [17,18]. В то же время карди-нальным симптомом респираторной мышечной слабости является одышка, способствующая снижению толерант-ности к физическим нагрузкам.…”