Unexplained dyspnea could be ascribable to postural changes

Bernardi, Eva and Mandolesi, Gaia and Pomidori, Luca and Cogo, Annalisa (2014) Unexplained dyspnea could be ascribable to postural changes. Shortness of Breath, 3 (1). pp. 25-27. ISSN 2281-6550

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Abstract

Here we present the cases of 3 females referred to our outpatient clinic complaining dyspnea during daily activity, in particular during walking. A careful history enabled us to determine that dyspnea was significantly reduced when they walked with upper-limb support. Subjects underwent respiratory function tests (FEV1, FVC, DLCO), chest X-ray, echocardiogram with non-invasive PAPs measurement, blood sample testing and ventilatory evaluation by means of portable respiratory inductive plethysmography (LifeShirt System, LS). LS accurately estimates ventilation, ventilatory pattern and the synchrony of rib cage-abdominal motion (phase angle, PhA) at rest and during exercise both in patients and in healthy subjects. Subjects performed six-minute walking tests (6MWT) with and without a rollator while equipped with LS. All exams were normal. LS evaluation during 6MWT showed an higher PhA during 6MWT without rollator: 26±11° and 17±3° without and with rollator respectively. During 6MWT without upper-limb support an evident increase in PhA was observed. This is an indicator of rib cage-abdominal motion asynchrony, which in turn could induce dyspnea. We suggest that postural change during walking without upper-limb support may occur in otherwise elderly subjects and this could explain the dyspnea.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: dyspnea, thoraco-abdominal kinematics, posture
Subjects: 600 Tecnologia - Scienze applicate > 610 Medicina e salute (Classificare qui la tecnologia dei servizi medici)
Depositing User: Marina Spanti
Date Deposited: 22 Jan 2016 12:07
Last Modified: 22 Jan 2016 12:07
URI: http://eprints.bice.rm.cnr.it/id/eprint/10496

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