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Effect of inspiratory resistive loading on costal and crural diaphragm electromyograms in piglets
Insights
Inspiratory resistive loaded breathing significantly increases diaphragm electromyographic (EMG) activity in piglets. Crural diaphragm activity shows a greater augmentation than costal diaphragm activity during this respiratory challenge.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Respiratory Mechanics
- Neonatal Research
Background:
- The diaphragm is the primary muscle of inspiration.
- Understanding diaphragm activation patterns is crucial for respiratory health, especially in neonates.
- Inspiratory loading can alter diaphragm muscle recruitment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of inspiratory resistive loading on the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the costal and crural diaphragm in piglets.
- To determine if there are differential responses between the costal and crural diaphragm components under inspiratory resistive loading.
Main Methods:
- Nine anesthetized, spontaneously breathing piglets (10-23 days old) were studied.
- Bipolar wire electrodes were used to record EMG activity from the costal and crural diaphragm.
- EMG activity was measured during baseline breathing and after 30 minutes of inspiratory resistive loaded breathing (IRL).
Main Results:
- IRL increased the peak moving time average of EMG activity in both the costal and crural diaphragm.
- The increase in crural diaphragm EMG activity (from 22 +/- 2 to 76 +/- 22 au) was significantly greater than the increase in costal diaphragm EMG activity (from 23 +/- 2 to 50 +/- 24 au).
- This indicates a differential distribution of inspiratory EMG activity between diaphragm components.
Conclusions:
- Inspiratory EMG activity can be differentially distributed between the costal and crural diaphragm components.
- Crural inspiratory EMG activity is augmented more than costal activity during IRL in piglets.
- These findings have implications for understanding respiratory muscle adaptation in developing mammals.
Abstract:
We examined the effect of inspiratory resistive loaded breathing (IRL) on the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the costal and crural diaphragm in nine anesthetized spontaneously breathing piglets (age 10-23 days, weight 2.8-4.4 kg). Bipolar wire electrodes were inserted into the anterior paratendinous costal diaphragm and the midportion of the crural diaphragm. EMG activity was quantified in arbitrary units (au) of peak moving time average while the animals breathed 50% O2/50% N2 (baseline) and during 30 min of IRL. Thirty min of IRL increased the peak moving time average of both parts of the diaphragm, with the increase in the crural EMG activity (from baseline: 22 +/- 2 to 30 min of IRL: 76 +/- 22 au) exceeding that of costal (from baseline: 23 +/- 2 to 30 min of IRL: 50 +/- 24 au), p less than 0.05. These results 1) suggest that the inspiratory EMG activity of the diaphragm can be differentially distributed between its costal and crural components and 2) document that crural inspiratory EMG activity undergoes greater augmentation under the condition of IRL than does the costal activity in piglets.