RESPIRATORY AND PERIPHERAL MUSCLE FUNCTION IN CYSTIC-FIBROSIS

Respiratory muscle strength (RMS) and endurance are often preserved in cystic fibrosis (CF) despite malnutrition, chronic airflow limitation, and hyperinflation. Inspiratory muscle function may be relatively preserved due to a selective ''training stimulus'' from chronic lung disease. Respiratory and peripheral muscle function were evaluated in 14 stable CF patients and 16 healthy control subjects. RMS was measured using static maximal pressures performed at FRC. Respiratory fatigue (RF) was assessed using 18 repeated static efforts (10 s on/5 s off) over 4.5 min. Peripheral function was evaluated by leg strength (LS) and leg fatigue (LF) measured during sprint efforts on an isokinetic cycle ergometer. Despite a lower weight (mean +/- SD, 94 +/- 9.6% ideal wt for CF patients versus 107 +/- 14.6% for controls) and elevated residual volume (RV)/TLC ratio (38 +/- 13.0 versus 22 +/- 5.3), the CF group maintained RMS (inspiratory 96 +/- 23.2 versus 114 +/- 33.2; expiratory 105 +/- 28.3 versus 123 +/- 40.9 cm H2O) but had decreased LS (590 +/- 201.7 versus 813 +/- 167.1 W). There were no differences between the groups with respect to RF or LF For the control group, inspiratory and expiratory RMS correlated with LS (p < 0.01) and lean body mass (p < 0.01). For the CF group, while expiratory RMS (p < 0.05) and LS (p < 0.01) correlated with lean body mass and each other (p < 0.01), inspiratory RMS was independent of lean body mass and LS (p > 0.1). Female CF patients appeared to have a better preservation of inspiratory RMS than males with CF. The lower LS in the CF group appears to be due to a smaller mass and not a change in muscle quality. The independence of inspiratory RMS in CF suggests a selective training effect due to chronic lung disease.