PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Melda Saglam
AU  - Naciye Vardar-Yagli
AU  - Ebru Calik
AU  - Hulya Arikan
AU  - Sema Savci
AU  - Deniz Inal-Ince
AU  - Ozge Ozalp
AU  - Ali Akdogan
AU  - Mehmet Yokusoglu
AU  - Lale Tokgozoglu
TI  - Peripheral and respiratory muscle strength in pulmonary artery hypertension
DP  - 2012 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - P4149
VI  - 40
IP  - Suppl 56
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P4149.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P4149.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2012 Sep 01; 40
AB  - Background and Aim: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare pulmonary vascular disease characterized by increased pulmonary arterial pressure. The PAH patients experience dyspnea and fatigue limiting performance in activities of daily life. The aim of this study was to compare lung function, respiratory muscle strength, and peripheral muscle strength between patients with PAH and healthy subjects.Materials and Methods: Seventeen patients with PAH (4 M, 13 F) and fifteen age-matched healthy controls (7 M, 8 F) participated in this study. Pulmonary function test was performed using spirometry. Respiratory muscle strength was measured using a mouth pressure device. Lower and upper peripheral muscle strength was measured from quadriceps femoris, shoulder abductors a hand held dynamometer, and hand grip was recorded.Results: The mean pulmonary arterial pressure was 63.57±31.77 mmHg. In PAH patients, maximal inspiratory pressure was significantly correlated with mean pulmonary arterial pressure (r=-0.67, p<0.05). The mean maximal inspiratory (p<0.0001) and expiratory muscle pressures (p=0.001) of patients with PAH were significantly lower than those of healthy controls. Quadriceps muscle force (p=0.05), shoulder abduction force (p<0.0001), and hand grip force (p=0.018) were significantly lower in patients with PAH as compared with healthy controls.Conclusions: High pulmonary arterial pressure results in reduced peripheral, inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength. Effects of respiratory and peripheral muscle training in patients with PAH needs further investigation.