Resp Care
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Influence of 4 interfaces in the assessment of maximal respiratory pressures.
The measurement of maximal respiratory pressure (MRP) is a procedure widely used in clinical practice to evaluate respiratory muscle strength through the maximal inspiratory pressure (P(Imax)) and maximal expiratory pressure (P(Emax)). Its clinical applications include diagnostic procedures and evaluating responses to interventions. However, there is great variability in the equipment and measurement procedures. Understanding the impacts of the characteristics of different interfaces can augment the repeatability of this method and help to establish widely applicable predictive equations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of 4 different interfaces on a subject's capacity to generate MRP and the impact of these interfaces on the repeatability of these measurements. ⋯ P(Imax) and P(Emax) values seem not to be influenced by the different interfaces studied, suggesting that patient comfort and availability of interfaces can be considered.