Does airway closure affect lung sound generation?

The purpose of this experiment was to test the hypothesis that airway closure impedes the production of lung sounds at low lung volume. We recorded breath sounds in three healthy men during inspiratory vital capacity manoeuvres in upright, head-down and lateral decubitus postures. We then compared the rate of increase of breath sound intensity (BSI) between the dependent and non-dependent lung zones. Closing volumes, measured separately, were normal in the upright but increased in the head-down postures. The data revealed no consistent lag in the rate of increase of BSI over the dependent lung zones in any of the postures. Our data suggest that airway closure does not influence lung sound generation. If true, this implies that lung sounds are produced proximally to the site of physiologic airway closure.