R. Peche et al., STERNOMASTOID MUSCLE SIZE AND STRENGTH IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY-DISEASE, American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 153(1), 1996, pp. 422-425
Citations number
14
Categorie Soggetti
Emergency Medicine & Critical Care","Respiratory System
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) imposes a major strain on
the respiratory muscle pump, and it is conventionally thought that th
e inspiratory muscles of the neck adapt to this chronic overload by de
veloping hypertrophy. Yet previous anthropometric studies have shown a
trophy of the sternomastoid muscles. To solve this discrepancy, we hav
e measured the cross-sectional area of these muscles by computed tomog
raphy. Ten stable patients with severe airflow obstruction (FEV(1) = 0
.76 +/- 0.12 L) and hyperinflation (FRC = 210 +/- 29% of predicted) an
d 10 control subjects matched for age, sex, and height were studied. T
he sternomastoid cross-sectional area in the patients averaged (mean /- SD) 4.29 +/- 1.48 cm(2), and that in the control subjects was 3.96
+/- 0.82 cm(2). This small difference could be entirely accounted for
by hyperinflation, and it was not statistically significant. Sternomas
toid muscle torque in patients was also similar to that in the control
subjects. In patients with severe COPD, therefore, the sternomastoid
muscles are essentially normal. As a corollary, their frequent promine
nce on clinical examination is only apparent.