title: Factors contributing to thixotropy of inspiratory muscles.
abstract: Thixotropy is a passive property of the skeletal muscle dependent on the muscle's immediate history of contraction and length change. Thixotropic properties of inspiratory muscles, introduced by forceful muscle contraction at an inflated lung volume, cause an increased end-expiratory position (EEP) of the rib cage. We searched for factors contributing to the development of inspiratory muscle thixotropy in nine healthy subjects. Using induction plethysmography, we examined aftereffects on EEP of the duration of inspiratory muscle contraction and subsequent muscle relaxation. We also studied effects of inspiratory effort intensity measured by mouth pressure at different lung volumes. EEP elevation was noted subsequent to 5-s contraction followed by 2-s relaxation and was enhanced when conditioned at higher lung volumes with a strong inspiratory effort. Our results suggest four factors that influence inspiratory muscle thixotropy: (1) intensity of muscle contraction, (2) lung volume when contraction occurs, (3) duration of contraction, and (4) muscle relaxation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Izumizaki
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Homma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000502:physiology*; D009129:Muscle Tonus / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology*; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D013990:Tidal Volume / Q000502:physiology