Effect of lung volume on the oesophageal diaphragm EMG assessed by magnetic phrenic nerve stimulation

Previous studies have shown conflicting results on the effect of lung volume on the diaphragm compound muscle action potential (CMAP). Consequently, the ability to quantify the oesophageal diaphragm electromyography (EMG) has been questioned. If lung volume changes have little effect on the diaphragm CMAP the accurate measurement of voluntary EMG, as an index of respiratory drive, may be possible. Furthermore, the measurement of CMAP could provide useful clinical information when evaluating patients with neuromuscular disease. To reassess the effect of lung volume on the oesophageal diaphragm CMAP, six normal subjects were studied using an oesophageal catheter incorporating seven electrodes (number one being proximal and seven distal) that were 1 cm in length and 1 cm apart. Electrode number three was positioned at the centre of the electrically active region of the diaphragm (EARdi) at functional residual capacity (FRC). The diaphragm CMAP elicited by bilateral magnetic stimulation of the phrenic nerves was simultaneously recorded from four electrode pairs. Pair one was created from electrodes one and three, pair two from electrodes two and four, pair three from electrodes three and five, and pair four from electrodes five and seven. Phrenic nerve stimulation was at residual volume (RV), FRC, FRC+1.0 L, FRC+2.0 L, and total lung capacity (TLC). The CMAP recorded from pair one was least influenced by changes in lung volume and the amplitude was 2.41+/-0.39 (mean+/-SD), 2.60+/-0.27, 2.64+/-0.29, and 2.71+/-0.45 mV at RV, FRC, FRC+1.0 L and FRC+2.0 L, respectively. At TLC the CMAP was more variable. The CMAP amplitude recorded from pair two increased with increasing lung volume and at FRC+2.0 L was 3.7 times larger than that at FRC. Pair four usually recorded substantially smaller CMAPs at all lung volumes. This study shows that the diaphragm compound muscle action potential recorded from an oesophageal electrode just above the diaphragm is relatively stable over the lung volume range residual volume to functional residual capacity+2.0 L.

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