The assessment of lung mechanical function in small animals, particularly mice, is essential for investigations into the pathophysiology of pulmonary disease. The most accurate and specific methods for making this assessment are highly invasive and so provide data of questionable relevance to normality. By contrast, present noninvasive methods based on unrestrained plethysmography have no direc...

Expulsive maneuvers (EMs) caused by simultaneous contraction of diaphragm and abdominal muscles shift substantial quantities of blood from the splanchnic circulation to the extremities. This suggests that the diaphragm assisted by abdominal muscles might accomplish ventilation and circulation simultaneously by repeated EMs. We tested this hypothesis in normal subjects by measuring changes (Δ) i...

BACKGROUND Dual bronchodilator therapy is recommended for symptomatic patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There are limited data on effects of a combination of two long-acting bronchodilators on lung function including body plethysmography. METHODS This multicentre, randomised, double-blind, single-dose, cross-over, placebo-controlled study evaluated efficacy and safet...

Physiological changes during late phase nasal responses after allergen challenge are difficult to establish and different criteria are used for the definition of a positive late phase nasal reaction. The objective of this study was to assess the value of whole body plethysmography in detecting changes in nasal airway resistance after allergen challenge and to suggest criteria for the definition...

Several studies have shown that the capability for exercise can be increased in patients with pacemakers by means of adjusting the rate. Respiration is one of the parameters considered for rate control. The aim of our study was to determine how respiratory parameters such as ventilation, tidal volume, and respiratory rate are capable of controlling the pacemaker rate, especially when measured i...

Under-nutrition in neonates can cause immediate mortality, impaired cognitive development and early onset adult disease. Body fat percentage measured using air-displacement-plethysmography has been found to better indicate under-nutrition than conventional birth weight percentiles. However, air-displacement-plethysmography equipment is expensive and non-portable, so is not suited for use in dev...

Respiratory dysfunction is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world and the rates of mortality continue to rise. Quantitative assessment of lung function in rodent models is an important tool in the development of future therapies. Commonly used techniques for assessing respiratory function including invasive plethysmography and forced oscillation. While these technique...

BACKGROUND Assessment of deterioration of lung function in animal models of respiratory disease traditionally relies upon quantitating biochemical markers. Plethysmography is a technique for measuring lung function that includes invasive and non-invasive methodologies. OBJECTIVES This study used whole-body barometric plethysmography to characterize change(s) in respiratory physiology of C57BL...