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. 1977 Nov;272(3):591–611. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1977.sp012062

The relation between tidal volume and inspiratory and expiratory times during steady-state carbon dioxide inhalation in man

W N Gardner
PMCID: PMC1353644  PMID: 592204

Abstract

1. Ambiguities and discrepancies in the published descriptions of the patterns of breathing in man have been re-investigated.

Steady-state hyperpnoea during rest was induced in normal subjects of both sexes by means of CO2 inhalation, usually in high O2, but sometimes in low (PA, O2 ∼ 200 and 55 torr respectively).

2. The relations between mean tidal volume V̄T and mean times for inspiration T̄I and expiration T̄E were satisfactorily divided into lower and upper parts (ranges 1 and 2) in nineteen out of thirty-three experiments using an objective least-squares method, and polynomials were fitted separately to each of the following pairs of variables V̄T,lower, T̄I; V̄T,lower, T̄E; V̄T,upper, T̄I; V̄T,upper, T̄E.

3. The breakpoints occurred when V̄T was about one third of vital capacity, but there was much variation between subjects.

4. In range 2, V̄T was inversely related to both T̄I and T̄E and there appeared to be linkage between T̄I and T̄E, all as described by Clark & Euler (1972). The relation suggested by Hey, Lloyd, Cunningham, Jukes & Bolton (1966) over range 2 was not confirmed.

5. The main part of the relation described by Hey et al. (1966) is concerned with range 1. Here the relation between V̄T and T̄I was variable; slight, but significant negative correlation predominated. V̄T was, on the other hand, strongly and inversely related to T̄E, and plots of (T̄E — T̄I) against V̄T over both ranges showed even less scatter. Hence (a) T̄E is probably related to V̄T through two mechanisms, one involving a link with TI and another prominent one being quite independent of TI, (b) most changes of respiratory frequency in normal man are brought about by change of TE rather than of TI, and (c) there is no region of constant frequency as implied by Clark & Euler (1972).

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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