Breathing pattern and its variability in young individuals with obesity.

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Pulmonology
• Pediatric Health

Background:

• Breathing pattern changes are linked to various diseases.
• Obesity affects chest mechanics, potentially altering breathing patterns.
• Limited data exists on breathing patterns and variability in young individuals with obesity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess breathing pattern alterations in young individuals with obesity.
• To investigate breathing pattern variability in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Compared 47 young patients with obesity to 47 age/sex-matched controls (mean age 17.6 years).
• Utilized respiratory inductive plethysmography for breath-to-breath recording of tidal volume and inspiratory/expiratory durations.
• Calculated respiratory cycle duration (Ttot), respiratory rate (fR), minute ventilation (MV), duty cycle (Ti/Ttot), mean inspiratory flow (Vt/Ti), and rapid shallow breathing index (fR/Vt).
• Quantified variability using standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV).

Main Results:

• Obese patients showed reduced tidal volume (Vt) and increased respiratory rate (fR) at rest.
• Decreased expiratory duration led to an increased Ti/Ttot ratio in the obese group.
• The rapid shallow breathing index (fR/Vt) was significantly higher in obese individuals.
• Increased variability in respiratory rate, minute ventilation, inspiratory flow, Ti/Ttot, and fR/Vt was observed in obese patients, particularly at rest.

Conclusions:

• Young individuals with obesity present with early changes in breathing pattern and increased breathing variability.
• These alterations may serve as potential early markers for obesity-related respiratory complications.