Active inspiratory impedance in halothane-anesthetized humans.

We have used the method of Siafakas et al. (J. Appl. Physiol.: Respirat. Environ. Exercise Physiol. 51: 109-121, 1981) to determine active elastance (E'rs) and flow resistance (R'rs) of the respiratory system in eight spontaneously breathing humans anesthetized with halothane. From measurements of flow (V) and volume (V) during unoccluded inspirations and of tracheal pressure (P0tr) during subsequent inspirations with the airways occluded at end expiration, we were able to compute E'rs and R'rs as slopes and intercepts of the following function: -P0tr/V = R'rs + E'rsV/V. These measurements were repeated during inspirations loaded with a series of linear flow resistances (delta R). Neither E'rs nor R'rs was significantly affected by delta R. On the average E'rs and R'rs were, respectively, 34.4 and 16.7% higher than the corresponding passive elastance and flow resistance of the respiratory system, indicating that during active breathing the internal impedance of the respiratory system increases. This provides an internal mechanism by which passive loads are compensated.