Measurement of tidal breathing flows in infants using impedance pneumography

Abstract

Tidal breathing flow volume (TBFV) profiles have been used to characterise altered lung function. Impedance pneumography (IP) is a novel option for assessing TBFV curves noninvasively. The aim of this study was to extend the application of IP for infants and to estimate the agreement between IP and direct pneumotachograph (PNT) measurements in assessing tidal airflow and flow-derived indices.Tidal flow profiles were recorded for 1 min simultaneously with PNT and uncalibrated IP at baseline in 44 symptomatic infants, and after methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction in a subgroup (n=20).The agreement expressed as the mean deviation from linearity ranged between 3.9 and 4.3% of tidal peak inspiratory flow, but was associated with specific airway conductance (p=0.002) and maximal flow at functional residual capacity () (p=0.004) at baseline. Acute bronchoconstriction induced by methacholine did not significantly affect the agreement of IP with PNT. TBFV indices derived from IP were slightly underestimated compared to PNT, but were equally well repeatable and associated with baseline (p=0.012 and p=0.013, respectively).TBFV profiles were consistent between IP and PNT in most infants, but the agreement was affected by reduced lung function. TBFV parameters were not interchangeable between IP and PNT, but had a similar association with lung function in infants.

Wearable technology: role in respiratory health and disease

“…measuring changes in thoracic impedance). With the former, the variations of the thoracic and abdominal circumferences occurring during breathing are measured through elastic bands that change their electrical resistance with stretching [ 20 ] or optical fibres in which light transmission is altered with changes in curvature [ 21 ]. Although in the past, strain gauges have been used in some sleep monitoring systems, they have been replaced by RIP.…”

Tidal breathing flow profiles during sleep in wheezing children measured by impedance pneumography

“…Previous studies have proven the feasibility of using IP to derive TBFV profiles during night sleep (Gracia-Tabuenca et al, 2019;Seppä et al, 2016) and the strong agreement between IP and PNT results in children (Seppä et al, 2013b) and infants (Malmberg et al, 2017), even under induced bronchoconstriction. The effect of interactions between asthma risk and sleep physiology on the shape of TBFV profiles has been studied for infants (Gracia-Tabuenca et al, 2019), but not for older children.…”

Noninvasive Cardiorespiratory Signals Analysis for Asthma Evolution Monitoring in Preschool Children

“…None of the subjects had previous history of laryngeal disease, tracheobronchial malacia, parechymal lung disease or bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Since these conditions might be accompanied by an asynchrony of the chest wall motion or changes in the venous return and blood volume during a breathing cycle, they could lead to a loss of linearity between the flow signal and the acquired IP signal due to changes in the electrical conductivity of the thorax, and hence to lower quality IP recordings [24]. Written informed consent was received from the parents of all the children.…”