DEPOSITION OF INSPIRED AEROSOL-PARTICLES WITHIN THE RESPIRATORY-TRACTOF PATIENTS WITH OBSTRUCTIVE LUNG-DISEASE

Total deposition of monodisperse aerosol particles in the size range b etween 1 mu m and 3 mu m was measured in patients with obstructive lun g disease and in normal people using equal breathing conditions for bo th groups. It turns out that for breathing conditions at rest, deposit ion for patients is higher, especially in the case of 1 mu m particles . A second breathing pattern similar to forced exercise, but including a breath holding interval of 6 s after inhalation, is applied to thro w some light on the effect of time-dependent deposition mechanisms. Th e results show less differences between both groups, indicating that e nhanced gravitational deposition during respiratory pauses compensates for differences in lung morphometry.