Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the short term effects of high frequency chest compression (HFCC) on several indices of respiratory system mechanics in normal subjects and patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).DESIGN: Comparative physiological approach. Subjects were blinded to 10 randomized HFCC settings (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 Hz) with each applied at the lowest and at the highest background vest pressure.SETTING: Pulmonary function and lung mechanics laboratory, University of Alberta.PARTICIPANTS: Ten normal male volunteers (24.2±3.8 years) and 11 clinically stable CF patients (23.4±6.7 years). Normal subjects were nonsmokers who had normal lung function. The CF patients had a wide range of airway obstruction.INTERVENTIONS: HFCC was supplied by oscillating a pneumatic vest that covered the entire torso. Balloon tipped catheters were used to measure esophageal (Pes) and external chest wall (Pew) pressures. Changes in end-expiratory lung volume (EELV) during HFCC were measured from a spirogram and were compared with baseline functional residual capacity (FRC). The HFCC induced air movement al the mouth, oscillated tidal volume (Vosc), was measured by reverse plethysmography.RESULTS: Both normals and CF patients had similar changes in Pes and EELV. At the highest background vest pressure and at the higher oscillation frequencies, EELV decreased approximately 30% from the no-HFCC baseline FRC. Vosc decreased with increasing oscillation frequency but normals had higher Vosc than CF patients at each frequency. Conversion of Vose to flow (