Electromyogram pattern of diaphragmatic fatigue.

We studied the effect of breathing at various levels of transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi) on the EMG power spectrum of the diaphragm. The diaphragmatic EMG was measured simultaneously with a bipolar esophageal electrode (EE) and surface electrode (SE) placed on the ventral portion of the sixth and seventh intercostal spaces in five normal subjects breathing at functional residual capacity (FRC) against an inspiratory resistance. During each fatigue run the subjects generated a Pdi, with each inspiration, that was 25, 50, or 75% of maximum Pdi (Pdimax) for a period up to 15 min. During runs at 50 and 75% of the Pdimax, which are known to produce fatigue, we found for both EE and SE a progressive increase in the amplitude of the low-frequency (L = 20-46.7 Hz) and a decrease in the high-frequency (H = 150-350 Hz) component of the EMG. These changes were not seen at 25% of Pdimax. The diaphragmatic H/L ratio was independent of Pdi when the diaphragm was not fatigued. H/L fell while the diaphragm performed fatiguing work and this was more rapid at higher Pdi's. It was thus concluded that frequency spectrum analysis of the EMG can detect diaphragmatic fatigue reliably, prior to the time when the diaphragm fails as a pressure generator.