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Energy cost of scuba underwater breathing apparatus on ventilation
Author(s) -
Duvallet Alain,
Duvallet Emilie,
Lhuissier François,
Beaudry Michele
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.718.2
Subject(s) - scuba diving , breathing , ventilation (architecture) , oxygen , work of breathing , mechanical ventilation , underwater , energy expenditure , medicine , anesthesia , biology , chemistry , physics , meteorology , geology , organic chemistry , zoology , oceanography
Intervention in the subaquatic environment was made possible by the self‐contained breathing apparatus (scuba), which allows breathing in aquatic environment. However, this apparatus imposes to the respiratory function new constraints and a mechanical work. To study the energy cost imposed by the breathing on SCUBA we measured the oxygen consumption at rest with or without regulator in 3 populations, junior scuba‐diver (n=22), adult scuba‐diver (n=10) and non‐scuba‐diving adults (n=10). The oxygen consumption increases from 241.3 to 414.8 ml O2/min or from 4.8kJ to 8.3kJ (delta=3.65 kJ). The variation observed between with or without the regulator is significantly different (paired t test, p= 0.0246). The oxygen consumption is significantly increased for the 3 populations studied. It is accompanied by an increase of the VCO2, of the Vt and of the ventilation (6.89 l/min versus 9.2 l/min, delta = 2.31 l/min, p<0.0001). As well, we show a decrease of the respiratory rate. The mechanical constraints due to SCUBA lead to a significant increase of the respiratory work with modification of the ventilator parameters. These variations are identical for the children (from 7 to 13 years) and for adults, in divers and in non‐divers.