Pressões respiratórias estáticas máximas: parâmetros de análise e influência do estímulo visual

Abstract

Introduction: Respiratory muscle strength is usually estimated from the pressures generated on the airways by the respiratory muscles contraction. Among the available tests, the most widely used in clinical practice is the assessment of the maximal static respiratory pressures (MSRP) generated at the mouth: maximum static inspiratory pressure and maximum static expiratory pressure. Nowadays, the use of pressure transducers during the measurements of the MSRP, in substitution to the aneroid manometers, is recommended. However, the definition parameters of maximum pressure that should be applied when using this device are still to be defined. One of the possible advantages related to the use of pressure transducers is the real time visualization, by the subjects, of their own effort. Nevertheless, studies that objectively evaluated the effects of this strategy upon the pressure values obtained were not found in the literature. Objectives: To investigate different definition parameters of maximum pressure described in the literature for the MSRP measurements, as well as to assess the influence of the visual feedback upon the performance of the volunteers. Methods: Transversal study, in which 49 healthy subjects from both sexs took part, mean age 23,08 ± 2,5 years, body mass index that did not characterize obesity or malnutrition, and ventilatory function within normal limits. The volunteers were recruited from the academic community of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, and all gave their informed written consent prior to the measurements. The assessments of the MSRP were made using an EMG System do Brasil Ltda. pressure transducer. The tests were conducted in two occasions, with a two-week minimum interval, with and without visual feedback. The definition parameters of maximum pressure were estimated from a mathematical algorithm developed to the research and were, namely, peak pressure, plateau pressure, mean pressure and pressure according to the area. It was also evaluated the time to reach the peak pressure and the normalized area. For statistical analysis, it was used the mean and the standard deviation for sample characterization, and the Friedman and Wilcoxon tests, as well as the Spearman correlation, for the data analysis. Results: There were found significant differences among all the definition parameters of maximum pressure studied. Regarding the tests undertaken with visual feedback, they were related to higher pressure values only in the first day of assessments (p > 0,05), indicating, in this case, the learning effect. Conclusion: There were found significant differences among all the definition parameters of maximum pressure studied. In addition, the use of visual feedback during the testes seems to be unable to improve the volunteers’ performance.