BACKGROUND In healthy subjects deep inspiration transiently dilates the airways, while many asthmatic subjects show bronchoconstriction by a mechanism which is incompletely understood. We hypothesised that the negative intrathoracic pressure associated with deep inspiration occurring in the context of increased leakiness of the airway vasculature may temporarily increase airway oedema and thus ...

Upper-airway resistance syndrome (UARS) was first recognized in children in 1982 (Guilleminault et al., 1982). The term UARS, however, was not used until adult cases were reported in 1993 (Guilleminault et al., 1993). The description of UARS brought the attention of clinicians to a group of patients that was left undiagnosed and untreated despite severe impairment. The authors indicated that th...

The interrupter technique is commonly adopted to monitor respiratory resistance (Rrs,int) during mechanical ventilation; however, Rrs,int is often interpreted as an index of airway resistance (Raw). This study compared the values of Rrs,int provided by a Siemens 940 Lung Mechanics Monitor with total respiratory impedance (Zrs) parameters in 39 patients with normal spirometric parameters, who we...

Children born before term often have reduced lung function, but the effects of preterm birth alone are difficult to determine owing to iatrogenic factors such as mechanical ventilation. Our objective was to determine the effects of preterm birth alone on airway resistance, airway reactivity, and ventilatory heterogeneity as an index of intrapulmonary gas mixing. Preterm birth was induced in she...

sRaw measurements are feasible in children from 2 years of age. sRaw allows clinical monitoring and research during this critical period of growth and development in early life. sRaw measurements promise to bridge the gap of lung function measurements between infancy and school age.