Abstract
The resting breathing patterns of healthy adult identical twins were compared to see if there was any possible genetic component in the determination of this pattern. From breath-by-breath analysis of airflow, measured with a pneumotachometer (9 pairs of twins), the pattern of breathing was quantified in terms of individual respiratory variables; inspiratory time (Ti), expiratory time (Te), total breath duration (Ttot), Vt/Ti, Ti/Ttot, and by taking Ti, Te and Vt all together (TRIAD). Also, the airflow shape was quantified by harmonic analysis (ASTER). A second study was performed under more strictly defined conditions of rest and where the respiratory variables were estimated with respiratory inductance plethysmography to eliminate the possible effect of a facemask (5 pairs of twins). In each study, for each variable, the differences within twin-pairs were compared to the differences within random-pairs from the same subject population. In both studies, there were highly significant similarities within twin-pairs in the pattern of breathing, being best demonstrated when the entire 'shape' of the pneumotachogram (ASTER) or the spirogram (TRIAD) was considered.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 211-223 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Respiration Physiology |
Volume | 75 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 1989 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Control of Breathing
- Human
- Pattern of Breathing
- Twins
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine