[Comparison of mouth pressure, twitch, after anterior magnetic stimulation against posterior magnetic stimulation in healthy subjects].
BACKGROUND
If techniques for studying respiratory muscle function are easy to use and well tolerates by patients, they can be used routinely. Measuring mouth twitches (TwM) using either bilateral anterior or posterior magnetic stimulation meets both criteria.


METHODS
We studied 16 healthy subjects. TwM was measured using bilateral anterior (TwMA) and posterior (TwMP) stimulation. Ten stimuli were applied for each technique for each subject. Five subjects repeated the test was repeated on a different day.


RESULTS
The mean TwMA in healthy subjects was 21.07 +/- 4.4 cmH2O (range 13.72-30.11); the mean TwMP was 21.12 +/- 5.9 cmH2O (range 12.7-35.7) (NS). The mean difference was 2.8 +/- 2.5 cmH2O, while the ratio TwMP/PImax was 0.15 (range 0.08-0.10) and TwMA/PImax was 0.14 (range 0.07-0.15). The correlation between the two technique was 0.8. The patients who underwent testing twice had a mean TwMA of 20 cmH2O on the first day and 10.18 cmH2O on the second (NS). The coefficient of variation (CoV%) was 5.9% for TwMA and 7.2% for TwMP.


CONCLUSIONS
The two techniques for measuring TwM give similar results and coefficients of variation in healthy subjects; either technique can be used. Variation from one testing day to another is low.
Gáldiz
J B
JB
Unidad de Patología Respiratoria, Laboratorio de Exploración Funcional Respiratoria, Hospital de Cruces, Baracaldo, Vizcaya. jbgaldiz@hcru.osakidetza.net
Bustamante
V
V
Camino
J
J
Cabriada
V
V
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000502:physiology*; D055590:Electromagnetic Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry / Q000379:methods; D009055:Mouth; D010812:Physical Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D012143:Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; D012737:Sex Factors; D013147:Spirometry