RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Aerosol bolus dispersion in healthy subjects
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 460
OP 467
DO 10.1183/09031936.97.10020460
VO 10
IS 2
A1 P Brand
A1 C Rieger
A1 H Schulz
A1 T Beinert
A1 J Heyder
YR 1997
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/10/2/460.abstract
AB Aerosol bolus dispersion is a physiological test of lungs, which uses monodisperse submicron particles to measure intrapulmonary convective gas mixing. In this study, aerosol bolus dispersion was measured in healthy subjects in order to assess reference values for possible clinical applications, to assess the reproducibility of these values, and to identify physical and physiological factors influencing aerosol bolus dispersion. Aerosol bolus dispersion was measured in 79 healthy subjects using 20 cm3 aerosol boluses consisting of monodisperse di-2-ethylhexyl sebacate (DEHS) particles. The reproducibility of parameters characterizing the width of the exhaled bolus was of the same order as that of parameters of the flow-volume curve (10%). Aerosol bolus dispersion was independent of the level of lung inflation, and the slope of the relationship between flow rate and dispersion was on average not significantly different from zero (range 100-700 cm3.s-1). Multiple linear regression showed that aerosol bolus dispersion increased with increasing total lung capacity of the subject. We conclude that differences in total lung capacity between individuals should be taken into account when using measures of aerosol bolus dispersion for possible clinical applications.