Influence of body position on dynamic compliance in young subjects.

We studied the effect of a postural change from the erect to the supine position on the unevenness of pulmonary ventilation in six normal subjects. Static pressure-volume curves had a similar shape in both positions but the supine curves were shifted such that all transpulmonary pressures were 5-8 cmH2O lower. Dynamic compliance (Cdyn) was measured in seated and supine postures at functional residual capacity (FRC) and also while the seated subjects maintained end-expiratory lung volume at the level of supine FRC. Frequency dependence of Cdyn increased relative to that measured in the seated position at FRC when the subject remained seated but decreased his lung volume, or when he assumed the supine posture. There was no significant difference between Cdyn measured in the supine posture and in the seated at supine FRC. We conclude that the increased frequency dependence seen in the supine posture is largely attributed to the associated decrease of lung volume rather than to position per se.