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The effect of posture on asynchronous chest wall movement in COPD
Rita Priori1, Andrea Aliverti, André L Albuquerque
1Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy. rita.priori@mail.polimi.it
Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985)
|February 16, 2013
Summary
Changing body position significantly impacts chest wall movement in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Supine positioning can improve diaphragm mechanics and reduce rib cage asynchrony in COPD patients.
Area of Science:
- Respiratory Physiology
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is often associated with asynchronous chest wall movements during breathing.
- The influence of body position on this asynchrony in COPD patients is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how changing body position from seated to supine affects rib cage and abdominal asynchrony in COPD patients.
- To explore the relationship between body position, diaphragm function, and chest wall mechanics.
Main Methods:
- Opto-electronic plethysmography was used to measure rib cage and abdominal movement synchrony in seated and supine positions.
- Ultrasound assessed changes in the diaphragm's zone of apposition.
- 23 severe COPD patients and 12 healthy controls participated.
Main Results:
- Healthy controls exhibited no asynchronous chest wall movements in either position.
- Thirteen COPD patients showed rib cage asynchrony when seated, which resolved in the supine position.
- COPD patients displayed upper rib cage-abdomen asynchrony in the supine position, unlike when seated.
Conclusions:
- Body position significantly alters chest wall kinematics in COPD patients.
- Supine positioning appears to improve diaphragm mechanics and reduce certain types of respiratory asynchrony in COPD.
- Findings suggest that postural adjustments can influence breathing patterns in COPD.
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