The hypothesis that, in neuromuscular and chest wall diseases, improvement in central respiratory drive explains the effects of night-time ventilation on diurnal gas exchanges was tested. The effects at 6 months, 1, 2 and 3 yrs of intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) on arterial blood gas tension, pulmonary function, muscle strength, sleep parameters, respiratory parameters during ...

Background: If not done properly, suction causes complications such as hypoxia, cardiac arrhythmias or even death. Suction is being used in most hospital wards. Closed Suction appears to have fewer side effects, although studies have reported dissimilar results. Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of open (control) with closed (test) endotracheal suctioning on patients’ Hemodyn...

This study aimed to test the hypothesis that advice currently given by respiratory physicians to potentially hypoxic patients planning air travel varies and is not evidence-based. A prospective observational study was performed, surveying respiratory physicians in England and Wales. Sixty-two per cent responded. Nearly two-thirds worked in district general hospitals, a quarter in university hos...

Six detrained Thoroughbred horses performed incremental treadmill tests. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was measured during exercise by analysis of expired gas. The relationships between oxygen consumption (VO2) and work rate, heart rate (HR), cardiac output (Q), stroke volume (SV) and arteriovenous oxygen content difference [C(a-v)O2] were examined during submaximal and maximal exercise. The r...

When O2 availability is reduced unavoidably, as it is at high altitude, a potential mechanism to improve O2 delivery to tissues is an increase in blood flow. Nitric oxide (NO) regulates blood vessel diameter and can influence blood flow. This field study of intrapopulation variation at high altitude tested the hypothesis that the level of exhaled NO (a summary measure of pulmonary synthesis, co...

This study was attempted to observe the rate of oxygen desaturation after full oxygenation in six parturients scheduled for Cesarean sections and six patients scheduled for transabdominal hysterectomies. We calculated the mean rate of fall of arterial saturation (slope of desaturation: less than SaO2 (t2)-SaO2(t1) greater than/t2-t1) and changes in arterial blood gases were observed. All subjec...

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may develop hypercapnia and hypoxia, two main determinants of cerebral blood flow. The current authors tested whether cerebrovascular regulation was altered in mild COPD, modified by manoeuvres acutely improving autonomic cardiovascular modulation or influenced by smoking habit. In 15 eucapnic normoxic mild COPD patients (eight smokers)...

The retina has a high rate of oxygen consumption, and the retinal vessels are knoion to constrict with increased arterial oxygen tension and dilate ivhen arterial oxygen falls. In 10 subjects, measurement of retinal venous oxygen saturation by a photographic technique has shown an increase from 55 ± 8 per cent saturation breathing air to 82 ± 9 per cent breathing 100 per cent Os. This increase ...

A 30-year-old female with end-stage renal disease was a candidate for dual lumen catheter placement. After catheter insertion, O2 saturation measurement of the aspirated blood from the catheter was similar to that of arterial blood. They referred the patient to our hospital after 48 hours. Diagnostic procedures revealed that the tip of the catheter had entered the pleural cavity. Catheter remov...