A new method to determine frequency characteristics of the respiratory system.

A technique is described allowing one to determine simultaneously the resistance and reactance of the total respiratory system for various frequencies. During spontaneous breathing, regularly recurring impulses are produced at the mouth by means of a loud speaker. A Fourier analysis of the mouth pressure and flow signals yields mean resistance and reactance values, over 16 s, for all harmonics of 2 Hz up to 30 Hz. The values are in good agreement with those obtained in the absence of breathing and those determined by means of the forced oscillation technique and by body plethysmography. The reproducibility of the measurements is satisfactory (coefficient of variation: 11.6%).