title: Ultrasound imaging of the lateral abdominal wall muscles in individuals with lumbopelvic pain and signs of concurrent hypocapnia.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare the change in thickness of transversus abdominis (TrA) and internal oblique (IO) muscles, during resting supine respiration, in individuals with lumbopelvic pain (LP) to those who in addition to LP, demonstrate signs of concurrent hypocapnia (LP&HYPO). B-mode ultrasound images were obtained at the height of inspiration, and at the end of expiration, over three subsequent breaths during a single session. The average percent change in thickness of TrA during resting respiration in the LP&HYPO group (20.8+/-7.6%) was found to be statistically greater (P<0.001) than that of the LP only group (1.3+/-5.8%), while the difference between the groups for the percent change in thickness of IO (LP&HYPO 9.2+/-8.1%, LP 2.0+/-7.2%) did not differ (P=0.073). These findings suggest that respiratory modulation of TrA thickness, as measured by ultrasound imaging, greater than 20%, detected in a resting supine position, may be associated with an episode of hypocapnia, and if present warrants further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Whittaker Physiotherapy Consulting, 101 12761-16th Ave. Surrey British Columbia, Canada V4A 1N2. jwphysio@telus.net.
authors.forename: Jackie L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Whittaker
mesh_terms: D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D019296:Capnography; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015984:Causality; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016857:Hypocapnia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016683:Supine Position; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide