Tonic inspiratory muscle activity as a cause of hyperinflation in histamine-induced asthma.

We studied the change in tonic activity of the inspiratory muscles during acute hyperinflation. Hyperinflation was provoked in two asthmatic and three normal subjects by progressively doubling doses of histamine. Changes in lung volume were determined with magnetometers and with a body plethysmograph. Intercostal muscle activity was recorded with surface electrodes and diaphragmatic activity with esophageal electrodes. Tonic activity was defined as electrical activity in the electromyogram present at end expiration. After histamine the maximal observed increase in plethysmographic thoracic gas volume in the five subjects was 29.8 +/- 6.4% of control (mean +/- SE). Hyperinflation was accompanied by a significant increase in tonic activity of the intercostal muscles (P < 0.01) and the diaphragm (P < 0.01). There was a significant correlation between the increase in thoracic gas volume and the increase in tonic intercostal (r = 0.82, P = 0.003) and diaphragmatic (r = 0.89, P = 0.003) activity. We conclude that histamine-induced hyperinflation is accompanied by persistent inspiratory muscle activity throughout expiration.