PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Michele R. Schaeffer
AU  - Christopher J. Ryerson
AU  - Andrew H. Ramsook
AU  - Yannick Molgat-Seon
AU  - Sabrina S. Wilkie
AU  - Satvir S. Dhillon
AU  - Reid A. Mitchell
AU  - A. William Sheel
AU  - Nasreen Khalil
AU  - Pat G. Camp
AU  - Jordan A. Guenette
TI  - Neurophysiological mechanisms of exertional dyspnoea in fibrotic interstitial lung disease
AID  - 10.1183/13993003.01726-2017
DP  - 2018 Jan 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 1701726
VI  - 51
IP  - 1
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/51/1/1701726.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/51/1/1701726.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2018 Jan 01; 51
AB  - Our understanding of the mechanisms of dyspnoea in fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD) is incomplete. The aims of this study were two-fold: 1) to determine whether dyspnoea intensity is better predicted by neural respiratory drive (NRD) or neuromechanical uncoupling (NMU) of the respiratory system in fibrotic ILD, and 2) to examine the effect of breathing 60% oxygen on NRD, NMU and dyspnoea ratings.Fourteen patients with fibrotic ILD were included. Visit 1 comprised a familiarisation incremental cycle exercise test, Visit 2 comprised a normoxic incremental cycling test to address Aim 1, and Visits 3 and 4 consisted of constant-load cycling while breathing room air or 60% oxygen to address Aim 2. Diaphragmatic electromyography (EMGdi) was used as a surrogate of NRD. NMU was calculated as the ratio between EMGdi (%max) and tidal volume (%vital capacity).On adjusted analysis, NMU and its constituents were all significantly associated with dyspnoea ratings during incremental cycling, with EMGdi having the strongest correlation. The between-treatment change in dyspnoea ratings during constant load cycling was only correlated with change in exercise endurance time and NMU.Dyspnoea more strongly reflected the level of EMGdi than NMU in fibrotic ILD. However, the improvement in dyspnoea with 60% oxygen was better predicted by improvements in NMU.Neural respiratory drive is a strong independent predictor of dyspnoea in patients with fibrotic ILD http://ow.ly/MXjd30hcabH