Overdose of γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) frequently causes respiratory depression, occasionally resulting in death; however, little is known about the dose-response relationship or effects of potential overdose treatment strategies on GHB-induced respiratory depression. In these studies, the parameters of respiratory rate, tidal volume, and minute volume were measured using whole-body plethysmograph...

Background: in radiation treatment of moving targets located in thorax region of patient body, the delivered dose does not match with the planned treatment, resulting in some over and under dosage in the tumor volume, as a function of motion magnitude and frequency. Several efforts have been done to investigate the target motion effects on dose distribution in the target and surrounding normal ...

Several indices of ventilatory heterogeneity can be identified from the expiratory CO2 partial pressure or CO2 elimination versus volume curves. The aims of this study were: 1) to analyse several computerizable indices of volumetric capnography in order to detect ventilatory disturbances; and 2) to establish the relationship between those indices and respiratory system mechanics in subjects wit...

Upright immersion imposes a pressure imbalance across the thorax. This study examined the effects of air-delivery pressure on inspiratory muscle work during upright immersion. Eight subjects performed respiratory pressure-volume relaxation maneuvers while seated in air (control) and during immersion. Hydrostatic, respiratory elastic (lung and chest wall), and resultant static respiratory muscle...

RATIONALE Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease that involves limb, axial, bulbar, and respiratory muscles. Fatigue and weakness of the respiratory muscles eventually induce respiratory insufficiency, which is one of the main causes of death in patients with ALS. In ALS patients with respiratory insufficiency, application of a ventilator is indis...

PURPOSE To examine whether changes in bladder volume elicit reflex cardiovascular and respiratory responses in humans under general anesthesia with sevoflurane and nitrous oxide. METHODS Fourteen patients free of autonomic disorders were anesthetized with sevoflurane 0.5% and nitrous oxide 60% in oxygen that were approximately equivalent to 0.9 MAC. Warmed saline (6 ml x kg(-1), 37 degrees C)...