title: Measuring Respiratory Pressures with Mercury Manometer in Low Economic Health Care Settings- An Analytical Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health care economics restricts many health centers from using hi-tech diagnostics equipment. Mercury manometers are used for calibration of pressure transducers. If standardized it would be a cost effective, simple alternative to transducers in low economic settings.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the feasibility of mercury manometer usage in respiratory pressure measurement.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experimental study was conducted with 30 healthy volunteers of age group 17-19 yrs. They were recruited by using simple random sampling method. The volunteers were made familiarized to lab environment, instrument and techniques of maximum inspiratory (Pimax) and expiratory pressures (Pemax). Then parameters were recorded using mercury manometer connected to different syringes as mouth piece (2.5 ml, 10 ml, and 20 ml) and with sphygmomanometer. Statistical analysis was done by using IBM SPSS statistics version 21.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Pimax was 111.07 ± 6.53 with a 2.5 ml syringe as mouth piece. With 20 ml syringe it was 61.47 ± 9.98. PEmax with 2.5 ml syringe was 70.33 ± 8.19 with a confidence limit of 2.93 and with sphygmomanometer was 99.33 ± 8.16 with a confidence limit of 2.92. There was a change in recorded pressure and the correlation analysis result showed a significant difference from both above and below 10 ml mouth piece range.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mercury manometers could be used for recording respiratory pressures in low economic facilities once standardized. Size of syringe to be used as mouth piece needs further more works although this study finds 10 ml syringe as suitable.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Chennai Medical College Hospital and Research Centre , Irungalur, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India .
authors.forename: Prem
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balaguru
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College and Hospitals , Siruvachur, Perambalur, Tamil Nadu, India .
authors.forename: Vishnupriya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hariharan
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Chennai Medical College Hospital and Research Centre , Irungalur, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India .
authors.forename: Rajajeyakumar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manivel
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Physiology, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute . Pondicherry, India .
authors.forename: Madanmohan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trakroo
keywords: Maximum expiratory pressure; Maximum inspiratory pressure; Static pressures