A portable fan-based device for evaluating lung function in horses by the forced oscillation technique.
Abstract: . The assessment of lung mechanics in horses is nowadays based on invasive methods that may require sedation. The forced oscillation technique (FOT) allows the non-invasive assessment of respiratory mechanics during spontaneous breathing, but current devices are complex, cumbersome, expensive, and difficult to be applied in horses.. We developed a portable FOT device based on a novel approach in which the pressure waveforms are generated by a servo-controlled ducted fan. This new approach allows the design of devices that are more sturdy, compact, and portable compared to already existing approaches. The prototype includes 1) a small microcontroller-based electronic board for controlling the fan and measuring flow and pressure and 2) an optimized data processing algorithm.. This device provides a maximum error of 0.06 cmHO·s/L and 0.15 cmHO·s/L in measuring respiratory resistance and reactance duringvalidation. A pilot study was also performed on three healthy horses and three horses with severe equine asthma (SEA) and it demonstrated good tolerability and feasibility of the new device. Total respiratory system resistance () and reactance () significantly differed (< 0.05) between groups. At 5 Hz,was 0.66 ± 0.02 cmHO·s/L and 0.94 ± 0.07 cmHO·s/L in healthy and in SEA, respectively.0.38 ± 0.02 cmHO·s/L and -0.27 ± 0.05 cmHO·s/L.. This novel approach for applying FOT allowed the development of a small, affordable, and portable device for the non-invasive evaluation of respiratory mechanics in spontaneously breathing horses, providing a useful new tool for improving veterinary respiratory medicine. Moreover, our results provide supporting evidence of the value of this novel approach for developing portable FOT devices also for applications in humans.
© 2022 Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.
Publication Date: 2022-03-07 PubMed ID: 35120344DOI: 10.1088/1361-6579/ac522eGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research focused on developing a portable, non-invasive device to evaluate lung mechanics in horses using the forced oscillation technique (FOT). The device, which uses a servomechanism to generate pressure waveforms, proved successful in testing and provided significant value for the field of veterinary respiratory medicine.
Background
- The examination of lung mechanics in horses has traditionally depended upon invasive procedures, often necessitating sedation.
- While the forced oscillation technique (FOT) offers a non-invasive alternative, most FOT devices are complex, bulky, and expensive, making them challenging to use for horses.
Aim of the Study
- To develop a portable and less convoluted FOT device that facilitates non-invasive assessment of respiratory mechanics during spontaneous breathing in horses.
Research Approach and Method
- The researchers engineered a portable FOT device that generates pressure waveforms utilizing a servo-controlled ducted fan, an innovative approach that enables the creation of more durable, compact, and mobile equipment.
- The prototype consists of a small microcontroller-based electronic board to control the fan and measure flow and pressure, and an optimized data processing algorithm.
- The study included the measurement of the device’s performance, with results indicating a maximum error of 0.06 cmHO·s/L and 0.15 cmHO·s/L in gauging respiratory resistance and reactance, respectively, during validation.
- A pilot study was also executed on three healthy and three severe equine asthma (SEA) horses to determine the device’s tolerability and feasibility.
Outcomes
- The results showed a significant difference between the two groups in terms of total respiratory system resistance (Rrs) and reactance (Xrs).
- Rrs at 5 Hz was 0.66 ± 0.02 cmHO·s/L in healthy horses versus 0.94 ± 0.07 cmHO·s/L in SEA horses. Xrs was 0.38 ± 0.02 cmHO·s/L in healthy horses and -0.27 ± 0.05 cmHO·s/L in SEA horses.
Conclusion
- This innovative approach allowed the construction of a small, cost-effective, and portable device for performing non-invasive assessment of respiratory mechanics in spontaneously breathing horses.
- The study presents this device as a substantially beneficial tool for progressing veterinary respiratory medicine.
- The results also suggest the potential of applying this innovative approach in developing portable FOT devices for human applications.
Cite This Article
APA
Bizzotto D, Paganini S, Stucchi L, Avallone MP, Ramirez EM, Pompilio PP, Ferrucci F, Lavoie JP, Dellacà RL.
(2022).
A portable fan-based device for evaluating lung function in horses by the forced oscillation technique.
Physiol Meas, 43(2).
https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6579/ac522e Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- TechRes Lab, Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano University, Milan, Italy.
- TechRes Lab, Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano University, Milan, Italy.
- Equine Sports Medicine Lab (ESM-Lab), Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Lodi, Italy.
- TechRes Lab, Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano University, Milan, Italy.
- Equine Asthma Laboratory, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada.
- Restech srl, Milano Italy.
- Equine Sports Medicine Lab (ESM-Lab), Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Lodi, Italy.
- Equine Asthma Laboratory, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada.
- TechRes Lab, Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano University, Milan, Italy.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses
- Lung
- Pilot Projects
- Respiration
- Respiratory Function Tests / methods
- Respiratory Mechanics
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Woodrow JS, Sheats MK, Cooper B, Bayless R. Asthma: The Use of Animal Models and Their Translational Utility. Cells 2023 Apr 5;12(7).
- Lo Feudo CM, Ferrucci F, Bizzotto D, Dellacà R, Lavoie JP, Stucchi L. Differences in pulmonary function measured by oscillometry between horses with mild-moderate equine asthma and healthy controls. Equine Vet J 2025 May;57(3):619-628.
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