Test di valutazione del lavoro meccanico dei muscoli respiratori nel cavallo durante iperventilazione ipercapnica e iperpnea da lavoro

The study of the mechanical work of breathing (Wresp) is an important step in the evaluation of equine maximal performance. In this work we compared two different techniques (hypercapnic hyperventilation with an added dead space at rest (HHVD) and hyperpnea during treadmill exercise (HTE)) to determine the function between Wresp and ventilation (Ve) in healthy horses. Wresp was also measured in a group of horses affected by inflammatory airway disease (IAD) with HHVD test. No difference in Wresp measured with the two different techniques, at comparable ventilatory levels, was found in healthy animals. Compared with normal horses, in animals with IAD, Wresp at the same Ve was higher. Since both techniques show comparable results in normal animals, HHVD can be used as diagnostic tool in horses in which treadmill exercise could be inappropriate