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Ventilatory function in breath-hold divers: effect of glossopharyngeal insufflation

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Abstract

This study was conducted to determine whether ventilatory parameters would change in breath-hold divers (BHDs) after they performed the glossopharyngeal technique for lung insufflation. Fifteen elite BHDs, 16 non-expert BHDs and 15 control subjects participated in this cross-sectional study. Volumes and expiratory flow rates were measured twice, before and after the glossopharyngeal technique performed at rest. Before the technique, greater forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and lower FEV1/FVC were noted in the elite and non-expert BHDs compared with controls. No difference was noted regarding the other pulmonary parameters. After the technique, increases were noted in FVC, FEV1 and maximal voluntary ventilation in the elite BHDs (P < 0.001, respectively). The FEF25–75%/FVC ratios were lower in the BHDs both before and after the technique, indicating possible dysanapsis. The ventilatory parameters observed after the glossopharyngeal technique indicated (1) higher lung volumes in expert BHDs and (2) a correlation with BHD performance (maximal dynamic BH performance). This correlation became more significant after the technique, indicating a positive effect of glossopharyngeal insufflation on performance.

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Acknowledgments

Special thanks are given to the BHDs for their cooperation. We also thank Cathy Carmeni for help in preparing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre d’Etudes des Transformations des Activités Physiques et Sportives, Equipe d’Accueil UPRES N°3832, Faculté des Sciences du Sport et de l’Education Physique de Rouen, Université de Rouen, Boulevard Siegfried, Mont-Saint-Aignan, Rouen, 76130, France

    Frederic Lemaître, Ingrid Castres & Didier Chollet

  2. Association pour la Promotion de la Recherche sur l’Apnée et les Activités Subaquatiques (APRAAS), LeBausset, France

    Frederic Lemaître, Eric Clua & Bernard Andréani

  3. CPS-BP D5, CRISP, 98848, Nouméa Cedex, Nouvelle-Calédonie, France

    Eric Clua

Authors
  1. Frederic Lemaître
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  2. Eric Clua
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  3. Bernard Andréani
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  4. Ingrid Castres
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  5. Didier Chollet
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Correspondence to Frederic Lemaître.

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Communicated by Susan Ward.

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Lemaître, F., Clua, E., Andréani, B. et al. Ventilatory function in breath-hold divers: effect of glossopharyngeal insufflation. Eur J Appl Physiol 108, 741–747 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1277-1

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