Assessment of the acute effects of different PEP levels on respiratory pattern and operational volumes in patients with Parkinson's disease.

The aim of the study was to determine the acute effects of positive expiratory pressure (PEP) on breathing pattern, operational volumes and shortening velocity of respiratory muscles on patients with Parkinson's disease. It was evaluated 15 patients and healthy controls, by optoelectronic plethysmography, using PEP in three different levels (10, 15 and 20cmH2O). Breathing pattern changed in both groups. Parkinson group increased tidal volume in all PEP levels (p<0.001), but with lower values compared to control. End-inspiratory chest wall volume increased in the Parkinson group at all PEP levels (p<0.001), end-expiratory chest wall volume show a slightly increase when we compared QB to all PEP levels in Parkinson's. There was an intergroup difference in the index of shortening velocity of abdominal, diaphragm and inspiratory muscles of the rib cage at all PEP levels (p<0.01). We conclude that Parkinson's disease promotes important alterations in different breathing pattern components and PEP has significant effects on these alterations.