Abstract
Conventional methods of measuring ventilation in children involving mouthpiece and noseclip are inadequate because both the amount and pattern of breathing are altered by this methodology. In order to obtain the true physiological pattern and magnitude of ventilation, a non-invasive technique such as the RIP (RespitraceR) is required. The RIP consists of 2 wire coils (transducers) placed over the ribcage and abdomen. Volume changes within the coils cause proportional changes in their inductances and voltage output. The sum of the voltage signals are calibrated against a known volume so as to represent tidal volume. To evaluate the accuracy of the RIP, the tidal volumes of 20 healthy children (8-16 yrs) were measured in 5 different body positions, and compared with tidal volumes measured simultaneously with a pneumotachograph. Comparison of these two techniques showed mean correlation coefficients of greater than 0.96, mean slopes between 0.95 and 1.10, and mean % SEE of less than 8% in all 5 body positions over a range of tidal volumes, thus demonstrating that the RIP can be accurately calibrated and that calibration is maintained regardless of body position. The addition of mouthpiece and noseclip altered ventilation significantly. The breathing pattern became much more regular, while mean tidal volume increased by 35% (p <.01). We conclude that the RIP provides an accurate means of measuring ventilation noninvasively in children and that it avoids the artifacts caused by breathing through a mouthpiece.
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Tabachnik, E., Muller, N., Toye, B. et al. 1729 NON-INVASIVE MEASUREMENT OF VENTILATION IN CHILDREN USING THE RESPIRATORY INDUCTIVE PLETHYSMOGRAPH (RIP). Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 731 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-01748
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-01748