title: A subclinical impairment of ventilatory function in cervical spondylotic myelopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the ventilatory function in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical school in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven consecutive patients with CSM.
  
  
  METHODS
  All the patients had surgical intervention for mild to moderate spastic limb paresis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of the maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) in addition to routine spirometry before and after surgical decompression. Functional assessment was made by using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MVV (% predicted) increased significantly (P<.002) from 77%+/-19% preoperatively to 84%+/-20% postoperatively. None of the other routine spirometric data (ie, vital capacity, forced vital capacity, forced expired volume in 1 second, peak expiratory flow rate) increased significantly. According to the JOA score, tetraparesis improved significantly (P<.0001) from 8.3+/-3.2 preoperatively to 11.4+/-3.0 postoperatively. The ratio of postoperative to preoperative MVV showed a significant correlation (r=.538, P<.002) with that of the JOA score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MVV provides a useful measure for monitoring ventilatory impairment in patients with myelopathy.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kochi Medical School, Kohasu Oko-cho Nankoku City, Kochi 783-8505, Japan.
authors.forename: Takuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Toshikazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitaoka
authors.forename: Hayato
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Enoki
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishida
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012119:Respiration; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013147:Spirometry