A microcomputer-based system for real-time calculation of airway conductance in awake guinea pigs

Bronchial responsiveness to various drug stimuli is currently studied by constructing cumulative dose-response curves of specific respiratory conductance (SG). Airway conductance can be measured in guinea pigs by the plethysmographic technique, during the rapid transition from expiration to inspiration (TEI). Since the drug action assigns a strict timing to the experiment, conventional methods of measuring SG prove inconvenient and often lack accuracy. A computerized data acquisition system has therefore been developed to recognize TEI and calculate SG in real time. This paper describes the significant features of the program DOREMI, and gives an illustrative example of the system in use.