The correlation between diaphragm thickness, diaphragmatic excursion, and pulmonary function in patients with chronic stroke.
Ju-Hyeon Jung, Nan-Soo Kim
PMID 29643599WHAT IT FOUND
In chronic stroke, paretic-side diaphragm movement and thickness at full inspiration were linked to higher FVC and FEV1.
No treatment was tested, so this does not show that diaphragm training will improve breathing.
Key findings
01Paretic-side diaphragm excursion had a positive correlation with FVC (0.558) and FEV1 (0.544).
02Paretic-side diaphragm thickness at total lung capacity had a positive correlation with FVC (0.430) and FEV1 (0.432).
03Relaxed diaphragm thickness did not have positive correlations with FVC or FEV1; paretic-side relaxed thickness was -0.014 with FVC and -0.041 with FEV1.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
This was a correlation study, not a treatment trial, so it cannot show that changing diaphragm function changes lung function. Only the diaphragm was measured; other respiratory muscles such as intercostal and abdominal muscles were not assessed. Patients were at least 6 months after stroke, so it does not address acute stroke or early recovery.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that strengthening the paretic diaphragm will improve FVC or FEV1. The study measured associations at one time and did not test training.