Chronic adaptations of lung function in breath-hold diving fishermen.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to verify and analyze the existence of chronic adaptations of lung function in free-diving fishermen whose occupation is artisanal fishing.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study involving 11 breath-hold diving fishermen and 10 non-breath-hold diving fishermen (control) from the village of Bitupitá in the municipality of Barroquinha (Ceará - Brazil). Anthropometric measurements, chest and abdominal circumferences as well as spirometric and respiratory muscle strength tests were conducted according to the specifications of the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (ATS/ERS). In order to compare the measured values versus the predicted values, Student t test was used in the case of parametric test and Wilcoxon test in the case of nonparametric test. To compare the inter-group means Student t test was used for parametric test and Mann-Whitney test for the nonparametric one. The level of significance was set at α = 5%.


RESULTS
The forced vital capacity (FVC) (4.9 ± 0.6 l vs. 4.3 ± 0.4 l) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) (4.0 ± 0.5 l vs. 3.6 ± 0.3 l) were, respectively, higher in the group of divers compared to the control group (p ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, in the group of free divers, the measured FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC ratios were significantly greater than the predicted ones. No differences were found between the measured respiratory pressures.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that breath-hold diving seems to produce chronic adaptations of the respiratory system, resulting in elevated lung volumes with no airway obstruction.
Department of Rehabilitation, Federal University of Piauí, Parnaíba, Brazil.
Cristiane Maria Pinto
CM
Diniz
Tiago Lopes
TL
Farias
Mayane Carneiro Alves
MC
Pereira
Caio Breno Reis
CB
Pires
Luciana Soares Lages
LS
Gonçalves
Patrícia Chaves
PC
Coertjens
Marcelo
M
Coertjens
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000328:Adult; D062485:Breath Holding; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004242:Diving / Q000502:physiology*; D019649:Food Industry; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017747:Seafood; D014797:Vital Capacity