used in the experiment to determine the amount of oxygen intake of a volunteer and measure changes in flow and volumes. The required equipments for this experiment were computer system, chart software, spirometry extension, spirometer pod, respiratory flow head (1000L/min) with connection tubes, clean bore tubing, disposable filters, disposable vinyl mouthpieces and nose clip.
Fig. 1 Spirometry experiment setup
Starting the software
Setup and Calibration of equipment Spirometer Pod was connected to the Pod Port for Input 1 on the Powerlab. The spirometer pod is sensitive to temperature and tends to drift during warm-up. Therefore, it is recommended that the Powerlab and spirometer pod be turned on for at least 5-10 minutes before use. Temperature drift was prevented by placing the spirometer pod on a shelf or beside the Powerlab (but away from the power supply) to avoid heating. Figure 1 shows the spirometry experiment setup. Two plastic tubes from the respiratory flow head were connected to the short pipes on the back of the Spirometer Pod. Lastly, a clean bore tubing, a filter and mouthpiece were attached to the flow head.
Labchart was located and started. In
the experiments gallery dialog box, Respiratory from the left-hand list was selected. Then, Respiratory settings was selected from the right-hand list and Open button was clicked to apply those settings. In case the Experiments Gallery dialog box does not appear in front of the Chart View, there is an option, Experiments Gallery in the command from the File menu. After a short time, the Chart View on the computer screen was set up for the experiment. Channels 1 and 2 were visible, with Channel 2 turned off. Channel 1 was named Flow and Channel 2 Volume.
Calibrating the Spirometer Pod
The flow head was left undisturbed on the bench during the zeroing process. Spirometer was chosen from the Flow Channel Function pop-up menu. As the Spirometer dialog box appeared, the Zero button was clicked. After zeroing has finished, the volunteer breathed out gently
through the flow head while other members
took note of the recorded signal in the data display area. If ever the signal showed a downward deflection, the OK button was to be clicked to simply close the dialog box and return the Chart View. If a signal deflected upward, there is a need for inversion and to do this, the Invert checkbox was clicked once to toggle its state.
A. Becoming equipment
familiar
with
the
The proper way of using the equipment
was to have the volunteer put the mouthpiece in his/her mouth, with the flow head being carefully held by both hands (refer to figure 2). The two plastic tubes must be pointing upwards. A nosepiece is to be placed on the volunteers nose to ensure that all air breathed passes through the mouthpiece, filter and flow head. The volunteer was instructed to begin as he/she becomes accustomed to the apparatus. Start button was clicked to begin recording. The volunteer then performed a full expiration and followed by normal breathing. Volunteers tidal breathing for one minute was recorded. At the end of one minute, the volunteer performed another full expiration. Data being recorded must be observed in the Flow channel, and not in the Volume channel. Stop button was clicked to stop recording and the volunteer was allowed to stop breathing through the flow head as well as to remove the nose clip.
Fig. 2 Proper handling of the apparatus
Setting up the Spirometry Extension
Spirometry Extension processes the raw voltage signal form the Spirometer Pod, and applies a volume correction factor to improve accuracy and displays calibrated Flow (L/s) and Volume (L) traces. The trace to be recorded provides reference points for the Spirometry Extension. The entire recording of tidal breathing data including the two forced expirations was selected by double clicking the Time axis beneath the trace. Spirometry Flow was then chosen from the Flow (Channel 1) Channel Function pop-up menu and subsequently, the Spirometry Flow dialog box appears (see figure 3). Flow (Channel 1) was selected in the Raw Flow Head Calibration pop-up menu and MLT 1000L in the Flow Head Calibration (refer to figure 3). After finishing the settings, the OK button was clicked to close the dialog box.
the dialog box. The Chart view then
appeared with the calculated volume data on Channel 2.
Fig. 3 Spirometry Flow Dialog Box
Spirometry Volume was chosen
from the Volume (Channel 2) Channel function pop-up menu and subsequently, the Spirometry Volume dialog box appears (see figure 4). Flow (Channel 1) was selected in the Raw Flow Channel pop-up menu and the MLT 1000L in Flow Head Calibration popup menu (refer to figure 4). After finished with the settings, the OK button was clicked to close the dialog box.
Fig. 4 Spirometry Volume Dialog Box
Flow (Channel 1) was selected in the
Spirometry Flow Channel pop-up menu and the volume correction was ensured to be on. Use button was clicked to allow the extension to use the volume correction ratio that it has calculated from the groups data. Then, the OK button was clicked to close
Set Scale was chosen from the
Scale pop-up menu in the Amplitude axis for the Flow channel. The top value was set to 15 L/s and the bottom value to -15 L/s, then OK button was clicked. Set Scale was chosen from the Scale pop-up menu in the Amplitude axis for the Volume channel. Top value was set to 5L and the bottom value -5 L, then OK button was clicked. B. Lung volumes and capacities The flow head was left undisturbed on the bench during zeroing process. Spirometer Pod was chosen from the Flow channel function pop-up menu. Zero button was clicked for the zeroing process and then OK button was clicked to return to the Chart view. The time was noted and then Start button was clicked to begin recording. The volunteer was asked to replace the nose clip and to breathe normally through the flow head. Normal tidal breathing was recorded for at least 20 seconds. Normal tidal breathing comment was added to the Chart trace. To stop and restart the recording, the Stop and Start button were clicked, respectively. The comment IRV procedure was prepared however, the Return key was not pressed yet. It was only clicked after the volunteer was asked to exhale as deeply as possible at the end of a normal tidal expiration and then followed by normal breathing. After pressing Return, the comment was added.
C. Pulmonary function tests
The flow head was re-zeroed using first two steps of procedure B. Start button was clicked to begin recording. The comment Forced Breathing was prepared. A volunteer was then instructed breathe normally for 30 seconds. Afterwards, he/she was instructed to inhale maximally ad exhale as forcefully as possible. The Enter key was pressed to add the comment. Then after a few seconds, the volunteers breathing should return to normal. Recording was ended by pressing Stop button. The process was repeated two times so that three separate forced breath recordings can be obtained. An example of what is expected is shown in figure 5.
procedure B. Steps from procedure C
was repeated for the new volunteer. The whole procedure D was repeated until the forced expiration parameters (PIF, PEF, FVC, and FEV1) has been measured for all volunteers.
Analysis A. Becoming equipment
familiar
with
the
The scroll buttons were used to view
parts of the trace that have scrolled out of sight. Time axis was dragged in to select data from both channels then, Zoom view was opened. Relation between Flow and Volume was noted. As the flow signal is positive (inspiration), volume trace rises; whereas when flow is negative (expiration), volume trace decreases.
B. Lung volumes and capacities
Fig. 5 A spirometry recording
showing where to find PIF and PEF, and how to determine FVC
D. Forced Expiration in different
volunteers Disposable filter and mouthpiece was replaced. The Spirometer Pod was re-zeroed using the first two steps of
The first part of the data trace was
examined. The number of times the volunteer breathes over 15-20 seconds Wa observed. The number of breaths (f) per minute was then calculated. Calculated data was recorded. After which, the Marker from the box at the bottom left of the Chart View was dragged to the Volume trace at the first peak. The Waveform Cursor was then moved to the lowest part after the first peak. Three peaks were recorded for analysis. The value for the total volume was calculated by getting the average of the volumes of the three peaks. Using the value for VT and the number of breaths, f (/min),
observed over a one-minute period, the
Minute Volume was computed using this equation: Equation 1 Volume of air (L) per minute V E =V T x f The value calculated was then recorded. The IRV procedure from the comment in the data traced was searched. Marker was placed in the peak of the inspiratory of the previous tidal breath and the Waveform cursor was moved along to the peak of the volume trace from the full deep breath (figure 6). The difference displayed in the Range/Amplitude display is the Inspiratory Reserve Volume (IRV). This value was recorded. Inspiratory Capacity (IC) was calculated using the following equation: Equation 2 IC=V T +IRV
The marker was returned to its box. The
comment containing ERV procedure was searched. The marker was placed on the trough of the expiratory volume of the previous tidal breath and then the waveform cursor was moved along to the trough of the volume from the forceful exhalation. Figure 7 shows where to make the measurement. The difference that was displayed in the Range/Amplitude display is the Expiratory Reserve Volume (ERV). The delta symbol and the negative sign was disregarded.
Fig. 7 Record of full exhalation
Expiratory Capacity (EC) was
calculated using the following equation: Equation 3 E C=V T + E RV The table provided was used to compute for the volunteers predicted Vital Capacity (VC). Predicted values varied according to the volunteers sex, height and age. VC was measured using the following equation:
Fig. 6 Record of full inhalation
Equation 4 V C=V T + IRV + ERV
C. Pulmonary function test
Residual volume (RV) is the volume of the gas remaining in the lungs after a maximal expiration. RV cannot be determined by spirometric recording. However, the following equation may be used for determining its value: Equation 5 RV =predicted VC x 0.25
The total lung capacity (TLC) is the
sum of the vital capacity and residual volume. Predicted TLC may be computed using the following equation: Equation 6 TLC=RV +VC
In the last data block of the chart
recording, the waveform cursor was moved to the maximal forced inspiration on the Flow trace. The absolute value that was displayed in the Range/Amplitude display is the Peak Inspiratory Flow (PIF). The value was multiplied by 60 to convert L/s to L/min. From the flow trace, the Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) was measured for the force expiration. The measured valued was converted from L/s to L/min. To calculate the Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), the marker was placed on the peak of inhalation of the volume trace and was moved to the maximal expiration (figure 8). The result was read off from the Range/Amplitude display.
Functional Residual Capacity (FRC)
is the volume of gas remaining in the lungs at the end of a normal tidal expiration. It is the sum of RV and ERV. Equation 7 FRC=RV + ERV
An area of the Chart View containing
normal breathing was selected. Report command was chosen from the spirometry menu. The Spirometry report window contains various parameters calculated by the Spirometry Extension from the data selection. Results for Ve, Vt, and f was copied.
Fig. 8 Spirometry Data window
The marker was returned to its box at
the bottom left. Forced Expired Volume 1 in 1 second (FEV1) was measured by placing the marker on the peak of the volume trace and moving the pointer to a time 1.0s from the peak. The volume value was noted. The marker was returned to its box. A selection from the last recorder data block was made including a couple of normal breathes, the forced breath, then a
few more normal breaths (figure 8).
Spirometry Data from the Spirometry menu was chosen. As the Spirometry Data window opens, the locations of PIF, PEF, FVC and FEV1 were shown. (If parameters are not shown, assistance is highly recommended). Spirometry Report window was opened. The values calculated for the parameters was listed in the report. The values were noted. The analysis was repeated until all three forced breaths have been analyzed both manually and with the Spirometry Extension. Percentage ratio of FEV1, to FVC using the following equation: =
FEV 1/FVC 100
D. Forced Expiration in different
volunteers Analysis procedures from part C on the recordings from each volunteer was repeated. Stethography is a method to observe respiratory movements. In the experiment, Powerlab was used by attaching the respiratory belt transducer to the bridge amp and by using the exercise on Respiration in the Experiments gallery. For the actual procedure, the volunteer was asked to sit comfortably facing away from the setup. The stenograph was tied around his/her chest at the level of 4th intercostal space. Then, normal respiration was recorded.
The volunteer was asked to drink water
to be able to take note of the effect of deglutition on the respiratory pattern. Afterwards, normal breathing was recorded. Normal tracing was implemented. Afterwards, the volunteer was instructed to hold his/her breath for as long as possible after a quiet inspiration and expiration. This was repeated after following deep inspiration and expiration as well. The effects were recorded separately. Normal respiration was recorded again and then the Powerlab setup was put to a halt. The subject was asked to do rapid deepbreathing for 1.5 minutes. Immediately after hyperventilation, Powerlab was restarted and the effect of the exercise was recorded.