TY - JOUR
T1 - Respiratory muscle and pulmonary function in polymyositis and other proximal myopathies
AU - Braun, Norma M.T.
AU - Arora, Narinder S.
AU - Rochester, Dudley F.
PY - 1983
Y1 - 1983
N2 - We studied 53 patients with proximal myopathy to determine at what level of muscle weakness hypercapnic respiratory failure is likely, and which tests of pulmonary function or respiratory muscle strength would best suggest this development. Respiratory muscle strength was determined from maximal static efforts and in half the patients, both inspiratory and expiratory muscle strengths were less than 50% of normal. In the 37 patients without lung disease respiratory muscle weakness was accompanied by significant decreases in vital capacity, total lung capacity, and maximum voluntary ventilation; by significant increases in residual volume and arterial carbon dioxide tension (Paco 2); and greater likelihood of dependence on ventilators, atelectasis, and pneumonia. Hypercapnia was particularly likely when respiratory muscle strength was less than 30% of normal in uncomplicated myopathy, and when vital capacity was less than 55% of the predicted value in any patient.
AB - We studied 53 patients with proximal myopathy to determine at what level of muscle weakness hypercapnic respiratory failure is likely, and which tests of pulmonary function or respiratory muscle strength would best suggest this development. Respiratory muscle strength was determined from maximal static efforts and in half the patients, both inspiratory and expiratory muscle strengths were less than 50% of normal. In the 37 patients without lung disease respiratory muscle weakness was accompanied by significant decreases in vital capacity, total lung capacity, and maximum voluntary ventilation; by significant increases in residual volume and arterial carbon dioxide tension (Paco 2); and greater likelihood of dependence on ventilators, atelectasis, and pneumonia. Hypercapnia was particularly likely when respiratory muscle strength was less than 30% of normal in uncomplicated myopathy, and when vital capacity was less than 55% of the predicted value in any patient.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0020606691&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/thx.38.8.616
DO - 10.1136/thx.38.8.616
M3 - Article
C2 - 6412385
AN - SCOPUS:0020606691
SN - 0040-6376
VL - 38
SP - 616
EP - 623
JO - Thorax
JF - Thorax
IS - 8
ER -