Laryngeal resistance immediately after panting in control and constricted airways

Laryngeal resistance (Rla) in the postpanting interval (PPRla) was examined in five normal subjects in the control state and with methacholine- and histamine-induced bronchoconstriction. Respiratory resistance (Rrs) was measured by the forced oscillation technique at 10 Hz, and Rla was measured by the low-frequency sound method (Sekizawa, K., C. Shindoh, W. Hida, S. Suzuki, et al. J. Appl. Physiol. 55:591-597, 1983). Inspiratory Rrs (IRrs) was lower than expiratory Rrs (ERrs), and Rrs immediately after panting (PPRrs) was not significantly different from IRrs in the three airway conditions. Rla increased with bronchoconstriction and inspiratory Rla (IRla) was lower than expiratory Rla (ERla). PPRla was lower than IRla (P less than 0.01) by an amount corresponding to the decrease in Rrs in the control airway. However, in constricted airways, PPRla was higher than IRla and about the same as ERla. We suggest that the panting maneuver is suitable for minimizing the effect of laryngeal artifact in the control airway, but in the constricted airway the panting maneuver may fail to cause widening of the laryngeal orifice.