title: Co-infected HIV/hepatitis patients compared with chronic liver patients and healthy individuals: respiratory assessment through surface electromyography and spirometry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Co-infected HIV and hepatitis subjects are candidates for a liver transplantation because of progressive liver disease. Chronic liver disease, co-infected or not, requires assessment of respiratory function before liver transplantation. The respiratory evaluation of these 2 groups compared with healthy individuals can define deficits, and this can impair a full recovery after transplant surgery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to compare the respiratory profile in co-infected patients with chronic liver disease who are candidates for liver transplantation with that of healthy subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Through respiratory evaluation of flows and lung volumes (spirometry), muscle activity (surface electromyography), and maximum pressure (manovacuometer), 250 people were distributed into 3 groups: 14 patients with HIV and liver disease, 65 healthy subjects, and 171 patients with chronic liver disease. The mean age (years) was respectively 47.5 ± 6.2, 48.3 ± 14.1, and 52.9 ± 8.5. The average body mass index (kg/m(2)) of the groups was 24.6 ± 4.5, 26.0 ± 3.2, and 28.5 ± 5.3, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistical difference among the groups in the root means square (RMS) rectus abdominis (μV) (P = .0016), RMS diaphragm (μV) (P = .0001), maximal inspiratory pressure (cmH2O) (P = .001), forced exhaled volume at the end of first second (%) (P = .002), and maximal mid expiratory flow 25% to 75% (%) (P = .0001) for the Kruskal-Wallis test. The multivariate analysis among the groups showed that the RMS diaphragm had a tendency to discriminate the co-infected subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The co-infected HIV group showed a muscle deficit of diaphragm and rectus abdominis activity, and the liver disease group showed lower indexes in volumes and respiratory flows.
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Unit, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Oliveira da Silva
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Unit, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil; Department of Medical Science, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Unit, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil; Department of Medical Science, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Limongi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Science, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil; Clinical Hospital of State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: E S L
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Gonçalez
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Science, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil; Clinical Hospital of State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Pedro
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Unit, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: R S B
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Stucchi
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Unit, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil; Department of Surgery, Unit of Liver Transplantation, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil. Electronic address: ilkaboin@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: I F S F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Boin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D060085:Coinfection / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000503:physiopathology; D004576:Electromyography; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D017568:Rectus Abdominis / Q000503:physiopathology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013147:Spirometry