INTRODUÇÃO: O equilíbrio corporal é um processo complexo envolvendo recepção e integração de estímulos sensoriais integrando as informações provenientes do sistema vestibular, dos receptores visuais e do sistema somatossensorial. OBJETIVO: Verificar a aquisição de marcos motores em crianças portadoras de Síndrome de Down que realizam a equoterapia ou fisioterapia convencional. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal que contou com 33 indivíduos portadores de Síndrome de Down com idade entre 4 e 13 anos, de ambos os sexos, divididos em 2 grupos: Grupo 1 - equoterapia; Grupo 2 - fisioterapia em solo. A motricidade global, o equilíbrio estático e o dinâmico foram avaliados com uso da Escala de Desenvolvimento Motor (EDM). Utilizou-se um questionário para relatar a aquisição de marcos motores, prováveis alterações na acuidade auditiva, visual e/ou posturais, força muscular e o tempo de tratamento. RESULTADOS: Para analise das variáveis, realizou-se o teste de Shapiro--Wilk, o teste de Qui-Quadrado e o teste Exato de Fisher, o teste t e ANOVA seguido de post hoc de Bonferroni; o nível de significância foi 0,05. As aquisições dos marcos motores nas crianças portadoras de Síndrome de Down apresentam atraso considerável em comparação com crianças com desenvolvimento normal p < 0,05. As crianças que realizam fisioterapia apresentam melhor equilíbrio estático e dinâmico do que indivíduos que realizam equoterapia p < 0,05. CONCLUSÃO: A fisioterapia convencional teve influência positiva na obtenção das aquisições motoras e do equilíbrio estático e dinâmico em portadores de Síndrome de Down.

Lucato JJJ, Adams AB, Souza R, Torquato JA, Carvalho CRR, Marini JJ. Evaluating humidity recovery efficiency of currently available heat and moisture exchangers: a respiratory system model study. Clinics. 2009;64(6):585-90. OBJECTIVES:To evaluate and compare the efficiency of humidification in available heat and moisture exchanger models under conditions of varying tidal volume, respiratory rate, and flow rate. INTRODUCTION: Inspired gases are routinely preconditioned by heat and moisture exchangers to provide a heat and water content similar to that provided normally by the nose and upper airways. The absolute humidity of air retrieved from and returned to the ventilated patient is an important measurable outcome of the heat and moisture exchangers' humidifying performance. METHODS: Eight different heat and moisture exchangers were studied using a respiratory system analog. The system included a heated chamber (acrylic glass, maintained at 37°C), a preserved swine lung, a hygrometer, circuitry and a ventilator. Humidity and temperature levels were measured using eight distinct interposed heat and moisture exchangers given different tidal volumes, respiratory frequencies and flow-rate conditions. Recovery of absolute humidity (%RAH) was calculated for each setting. RESULTS: Increasing tidal volumes led to a reduction in %RAH for all heat and moisture exchangers while no significant effect was demonstrated in the context of varying respiratory rate or inspiratory flow. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that heat and moisture exchangers are more efficient when used with low tidal volume ventilation. The roles of flow and respiratory rate were of lesser importance, suggesting that their adjustment has a less significant effect on the performance of heat and moisture exchangers.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to quantify the interaction between increased intra-abdominal pressure and Positive-End Expiratory Pressure. METHODS: In 30 mechanically ventilated ICU patients with a fixed tidal volume, respiratory system plateau and abdominal pressure were measured at a Positive-End Expiratory Pressure level of zero and 10 cm H 2 O. The measurements were repeated after placing a 5 kg weight on the patients’ belly. RESULTS: After the addition of 5 kg to the patients’ belly at zero Positive-End Expiratory Pressure, both intra-abdominal pressure (p<0.001) and plateau pressures (p=0.005) increased significantly. Increasing the Positive-End Expiratory Pressure levels from zero to 10 cm H 2 O without weight on the belly did not result in any increase in intrazxabdominal pressure (p=0.165). However, plateau pressures increased significantly (p< 0.001). Increasing Positive-End Expiratory Pressure from zero to 10 cm H 2 O and adding 5 kg to the belly increased intra-abdominal pressure from 8.7 to 16.8 (p<0.001) and plateau pressure from 18.26 to 27.2 (p<0.001). Maintaining Positive-End Expiratory Pressure at 10 cmH 2 O and placing 5 kg on the belly increased intra-abdominal pressure from 12.3 +/− 1.7 to 16.8 +/− 1.7 ( p<0.001 ) but did not increase plateau pressure (26.6+/−1.2 to 27.2 +/−1.1 − p=0.83 ). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of a 5kg weight onto the abdomen significantly increased both IAP and the airway plateau pressure, confirming that intra-abdominal hypertension elevates the plateau pressure. However, plateau pressure alone cannot be considered a good indicator for the detection of elevated intra-abdominal pressure in patients under mechanical ventilation using PEEP. In these patients, the intra-abdominal pressure must also be measured.