Respiratory muscle activation patterns during maximum airway pressure efforts are different in women and men

In this study, we addressed whether respiratory multi-muscle activation patterns during PImax and PEmax efforts are different between healthy women and men. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), PImax, PEmax, and surface electromyographic (sEMG) activity recorded from respiratory muscles during these maximum airway pressure efforts were obtained in 13 women and 11 men. Percent predicted values of FVC and FEV1 were not significantly different in these two groups (women vs. men: 112 ± 14 vs. 105 ± 15%, p = 0.29; and 92 ± 12 vs. 93 ± 13, p = 0.82, Mean ± SD, respectively), while PImax and PEmax measures were significantly lower in women compared to men (68 ± 16 vs. 88 ± 19 cmH2O, p = 0.011; and 69 ± 13 vs. 94 ± 17, p = 0.0004, respectively). Using vector-based methodology, by calculating the Similarity Index (SI) as measure of the resemblance between two sEMG patterns and the Magnitude (Mag) representing the overall amount sEMG during motor task, we have found that although the Mag values for both PImax and PEmax tasks were not significantly different in two groups, the SIs revealed significant sex-dependent differences in muscle activation patterns (0.89 ± 0.08 vs. 0.97 ± 0.02, p = 0.016; and 0.77 ± 0.11 vs. 0.92 ± 0.04, p = 0.0006, respectively). During the PImax effort, presented as the percentage of total sEMG amplitude, activity of upper trapezius m...
Source: Respiratory Physiology and Neurobiology - Category: Respiratory Medicine Source Type: research