title: Effect of transdiaphragmatic pressure partitioning on activation and fatigue of the diaphragm.
abstract: Fatiguing contractions of the diaphragm during inspiratory resistive loading are accompanied by a predictable rate of decay in the high/low (H/L) frequency ratio of the diaphragmatic EMG (EMG-DI) when the esophageal and gastric pressure (Pes and Pga) components of transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi) are equal. However, Pes and Pga do not contribute equally to Pdi under a number of clinical and physiologic conditions. We therefore tested the effect of varying the Pes and Pga contribution to Pdi on the EMG-DI using an esophageal electrode in 5 normal men during fatiguing contractions. Falls in the H/L occurred in all subjects regardless of the relative contribution of Pes and Pga to Pdi at a tension-time index of 0.29 +/- 0.1 (mean +/- SE). However, the time constant of decay of the H/L varied widely among subjects when Pes predominated (173.9 +/- 45.7 s; coefficient of variation, 58.7%) or Pga predominated (78.4 +/- 19.4 s; coefficient of variation, 55.2%), whereas it was consistent among subjects when Pes and Pga were equal (72.3 +/- 3.8 s; coefficient of variation, 11.6%). In addition, a significant relationship was found between the mean integrated activity of the EMG-DI compared with maximum and the time constant of decay of the H/L (r = 0.57, p less than 0.03). We conclude that the differences in the rate of decay of the H/L was at least partly a result of differences in the relative activation of the crural diaphragm at the same Pdi.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Notre Dame, Université de Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Chartrand
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Fitting
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Comtois
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grassino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000502:physiology*; D004576:Electromyography; D004947:Esophagus / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D011312:Pressure; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013270:Stomach / Q000502:physiology