Equations used to estimate ventilation out of EIT images, validated on healthy volunteers show a significant bias and a larger variance when were applied on a COPD patients group. The differences in estimation values were found to be highly correlated with anthropometric parameters. Two groups of 13 and 4 COPD male patients (FEV1/FVC<70% and FVC ≥ 80%) were used in this study. We have measured different anthropometric parameters like age, weight, height and skinfolds. The EIT system (TIE4sys) and a pneumotach were simultaneously connected to monitor tidal volume. The main anthropometric parameters values of 13 COPD patients were: age: 67±9 years, height: 1.65±0.05 m, weight: 72±11 kg, BMI: 26.4±3.3; and the subscapular skinfold thickness was 23±9mm. The mean tidal volume estimated with TIE4sys and the pneumotach were: 0.580±0.212 L and 0.774±0.173 L r = 0.861 (p<0.01). The mean difference was 0.196±0.096 L (p<0.01). On this group we have found out an adjust equation and we have validated it on an independent group of 4 COPD patients. The equation was Diff=-1478+15.6(weight). The mean tidal volume values obtained with pneumotach and TIE4sys on the second group of COPD patients (M:4) were: 0.798±0.395 L and 0.732±0.327 L. The mean of the differences was 0.066±0.114L. The differences of determinations estimated with pneumotach and TIE4sys can be attributed to changes of anthropometric characteristics like subscapular skinfold.

Peer Reviewed