Magnetic stimulation for the measurement of respiratory and skeletal muscle function

• Published in: The European respiratory journal Vol. 24; no. 5; pp. 846 - 860
• Main Authors: Man, W.D-C, Moxham, J, Polkey, M.I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Leeds Eur Respiratory Soc 01.11.2004; Maney
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Child; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma; Diseases of striated muscles. Neuromuscular diseases; Humans; Magnetics - therapeutic use; Medical sciences; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Neurology; Neuromuscular Diseases - therapy; Pneumology; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - therapy; Respiratory Muscles - physiology; Human; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease critical care neuromuscular disease paediatrics; Lung disease; Nervous system diseases; Neuromuscular diseases; Intensive care; Respiratory disease; Instrumentation therapy; Striated muscle; Instrumental stimulation; Chronic; Lung function; Respiratory muscle; Magnetic stimulus; Bronchus disease; Obstructive pulmonary disease; Child
• ISSN: 0903-1936; 1399-3003
• DOI: 10.1183/09031936.04.00029004

Respiratory and skeletal muscle function is of interest in many areas of pulmonary and critical care medicine. The capacity of the respiratory muscle pump to respond to the load imposed by disease is the basis of an understanding of ventilatory failure. Over the last four decades, considerable progress has been made in quantifying the capacity of the respiratory muscles, in terms of strength, endurance and fatigue. With the development of magnetic stimulation, it has recently become possible to nonvolitionally assess the respiratory muscles in a clinically acceptable way. This is of particular interest in the investigation of patients receiving critical care, those with neuromuscular disease, and in children where volitional efforts are either not possible or likely to be sub-maximal. Furthermore, the adaptation of these techniques to quantify the strength of peripheral muscles, such as the quadriceps, has allowed the effects of muscle training or rehabilitation, uninfluenced by learning effect, to be assessed. This article focuses on the physiological basis of magnetic nerve stimulation, and reviews how the technique has been applied to measure muscle strength and fatigue, with particular emphasis upon the diaphragm. The translation of magnetic stimulation into a clinical tool is described, and how it may be of diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic value in several areas of pulmonary medicine. In particular, the use of magnetic stimulation in neuromuscular disease, the intensive care setting, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and paediatrics will be discussed.