Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

A new method for analyzing multiple-breath nitrogen washout curves

R W Light, R B George, G R Meneely

    Journal of Applied Physiology: Respiratory, Environmental and Exercise Physiology
    |February 1, 1980
    PubMed
    Summary

    Multiple-breath nitrogen washout (MBNW) curves can be simplified using a new equation. This method effectively identifies airway obstruction and quantifies lung uniformity and efficiency.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    The World Federation Societies of Anaesthesiologists' (WFSA) declaration on patients' right to labour analgesia: raising awareness and elevating the role of anaesthesiologists in global maternal health.

    International journal of obstetric anesthesia·2025
    Same author

    Characterizing patterns of sensory loss during labor epidural analgesia: a prospective study of breakthrough pain.

    International journal of obstetric anesthesia·2025
    Same author

    A matter of justice: an obstetric anesthesia workforce survey of the United States highlights the unequal access to anesthesia care for childbirth.

    International journal of obstetric anesthesia·2025
    Same author

    Scale up of anaesthesia services in underserved rural Tanzania.

    BMC health services research·2023
    Same author

    Analysis of Twitter conversations in obstetric anesthesiology using the hashtag #OBAnes during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    International journal of obstetric anesthesia·2023
    Same author

    PROSPECT guideline for elective caesarean section: an update.

    Anaesthesia·2023

    Area of Science:

    • Pulmonary Physiology
    • Respiratory Medicine
    • Medical Imaging Analysis

    Background:

    • Multiple-breath nitrogen washout (MBNW) is a lung function test.
    • Analyzing MBNW curves can be complex.
    • Identifying and quantifying airway obstruction is crucial for patient management.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To analyze multiple-breath nitrogen washout (MBNW) curves using a novel logarithmic equation.
    • To determine if the derived indices can effectively identify airway obstruction.
    • To compare the efficacy of these indices against the lung clearance index (LCI).

    Main Methods:

    • Collected MBNW data from 39 healthy individuals and 45 patients with airway obstruction.
    • Applied a logarithmic transformation to the MBNW data using the equation: log log [(F0N2 - F infinity N2)/(FN2 - F infinity N2)] = B log (V/FRC) +A.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Analyzed the goodness of fit using the coefficient of determination (r2).
  • Compared the ability of the derived indices (B and A) and LCI to identify abnormalities and differentiate obstruction severity.

    • Main Results:

    • The logarithmic equation accurately described 67% of the MBNW curves with an r2 > 0.990.
    • Index B (index of uniformity) identified more abnormal individuals (33/45) than index A (15/45) or LCI (19/45).
    • Index B demonstrated superior performance in separating patient groups with varying degrees of airway obstruction compared to A and LCI.

    Conclusions:

    • The MBNW curve can be effectively characterized by two parameters: index of uniformity (B) and index of efficiency (A).
    • Index B is a more sensitive indicator of airway obstruction than index A or LCI.
    • This simplified analysis provides a valuable tool for assessing lung uniformity and efficiency in patients with airway obstruction.