[Analysis of the dependence of respiratory data during spontaneous ventilation at rest]

Inspiratory duration (TI), cycle duration (TTOT), and tidal volume (VT) were continuously measured in 11 normal subjects during 400 respiratory cycles. Small breath to breath changes in these variables were separately analyzed. For each of these variables, successive observations are not statistically independent; "large" values tend to be followed by "large" values. A respiratory feedback may be involved in this sequential dependence. In that case, any known system of respiratory control could be associated with it, even those with time constant or delay longer than one cycle duration.