Patrícia Blau Margosian Conti

Respiração bucal e anteriorização da cabeça: efeitos na biomecânica respiratória e na capacidade de exercício em crianças

OBJECTIVE To evaluate submaximal exercise tolerance and respiratory muscle strength in relation to forward head posture (FHP) and respiratory mode in children, comparing mouth-breathing (MB) children with nasal-breathing (NB) children. METHODS This was a controlled, analytical cross-sectional study involving children in the 8-12 year age bracket with a clinical otorhinolaryngology diagnosis of MB, recruited between October of 2010 and January of 2011 from the Mouth Breather Clinic at the State University of Campinas Hospital de Clínicas, located in the city of Campinas, Brazil. The exclusion criteria were obesity, asthma, chronic respiratory diseases, heart disease, and neurological or orthopedic disorders. All of the participants underwent postural assessment and the six-minute walk test (6MWT), together with determination of MIP and MEP. RESULTS Of the 92 children in the study, 30 presented with MB and 62 presented with NB. In the MB group, the differences between those with moderate or severe FHP and those with normal head posture, in terms of the mean MIP, MEP and six-minute walk distance (6MWD), were not significant (p = 0.079, p = 0.622, and p = 0.957, respectively). In the NB group, the mean values of MIP and MEP were higher in the children with moderate FHP than in those with normal head posture (p = 0.003 and p = 0.004, respectively). The mean MIP, MEP, and 6MWD were lower in the MB group than in the NB group. Values of MIP and MEP were highest in the children with moderate FHP. CONCLUSIONS Respiratory biomechanics and exercise capacity were negatively affected by MB. The presence of moderate FHP acted as a compensatory mechanism in order to improve respiratory muscle function.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate submaximal exercise tolerance and respiratory muscle strength in relation to forward head posture (FHP) and respiratory mode in children, comparing mouth-breathing (MB) children with nasal-breathing (NB) children. METHODS: This was a controlled, analytical cross-sectional study involving children in the 8-12 year age bracket with a clinical otorhinolaryngology diagnosis of MB, recruited between October of 2010 and January of 2011 from the Mouth Breather Clinic at the State University of Campinas Hospital de Clinicas, located in the city of Campinas, Brazil. The exclusion criteria were obesity, asthma, chronic respiratory diseases, heart disease, and neurological or orthopedic disorders. All of the participants underwent postural assessment and the six-minute walk test (6MWT), together with determination of MIP and MEP. RESULTS: Of the 92 children in the study, 30 presented with MB and 62 presented with NB. In the MB group, the differences between those with moderate or severe FHP and those with normal head posture, in terms of the mean MIP, MEP and six-minute walk distance (6MWD), were not significant (p = 0.079, p = 0.622, and p = 0.957, respectively). In the NB group, the mean values of MIP and MEP were higher in the children with moderate FHP than in those with normal head posture (p = 0.003 and p = 0.004, respectively). The mean MIP, MEP, and 6MWD were lower in the MB group than in the NB group. Values of MIP and MEP were highest in the children with moderate FHP. CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory biomechanics and exercise capacity were negatively affected by MB. The presence of moderate FHP acted as a compensatory mechanism in order to improve respiratory muscle function.

Ocorrência de desvios posturais em escolares do ensino público fundamental de Jaguariúna, São Paulo

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the posture of students from a public school in Brazil and to identify the differences between normal deviation during growth and compensatory alterations. METHODS: Students from first to fourth grade of a public school in the city of Jaguariuna, Sao Paulo, Brazil, were evaluated. The students were positioned at sagital anterior and posterior coronal planes for postural assessment. Kendall points were used as the normal reference. RESULTS: 247 students were evaluated, 131 boys and 116 girls, and the main postural deviations found were: shoulder unbalance (50.2%), protracted shoulder (39.7%), abducted scapula (40.5%), knock-knee (29.6%), pelvic unbalance (21.5%), pelvic anteversion (19%), knee hyperextension (19%), medial rotation of hip (12.9%), protracted cervical (11.7%), head tilt (15.4%), thoracic hyperkyphosis (9.7%) and lumbar hyperlordosis (26.3%). CONCLUSIONS: A high incidence of postural alterations was detected in school children. Some of the postural alterations, such as abducted scapula, unbalance and protraction of the shoulders, knock-knee and lumbar hiperlordosis, normally occur and they are naturally corrected during growth. However, some postural problems, such as protraction and inclination of the cervical spine, were also prevalent and they require early intervention.

Avaliação da postura corporal em crianças e adolescentes respiradores orais

OBJECTIVE To investigate associations between mouth breathing (MBr), nose breathing (NBr) and body posture classification and clinical variables in children and adolescents, by comparing patients with mouth breathing syndrome with a control group of similar age. METHODS This was an observational, analytical, controlled, cross-sectional study conducted at a university hospital. Children aged 5 years or more were recruited to one of two groups: healthy controls (NBr) or an MBr group. The MBr group comprised patients with a diagnosis of mouth breathing syndrome confirmed by clinical examination by a physician plus nasal endoscopy. The control group comprised healthy volunteers of the same age, with NBr confirmed by medical examination. All participants underwent postural assessment. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney nonparametric test, the chi-square test and Fishers exact test, to a significance level of 0.05%. RESULTS A total of 306 MBr and 124 NBr were enrolled. Mouth breathers were more likely to be male (p = 0.0002), have more frequent and more severe nasal obstruction and larger tonsils (p = 0.0001) than NBr. Mouth breathers also exhibited higher incidence rates of allergic rhinitis (p = 0.0001), of thoracic respiratory pattern (p = 0.0001), high-arched palate (p = 0.0001) and unfavorable postural classifications (p = 0.0001) with relation to the control group. Postural classification scores were directly proportional to nasal obstruction (p = 0.0001) and male sex (p = 0.0008). CONCLUSIONS Postural problems were significantly more common among children in the group with mouth breathing syndrome, highlighting the need for early interdisciplinary treatment of this syndrome.

Influência da alteração postural da coluna torácica em parâmetros cardiorrespiratórios de crianças e adolescentes com fibrose cística

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of increased thoracic kyphosis on pulmonary function and functional capacity in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF) and to verify the influence of disease severity, age and nutritional status on this deformity. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional, analytical study conducted at a university hospital. It included CF patients with confirmed diagnosis and without pulmonary exacerbation. The sample was submitted to postural assessment, spirometry (FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC) and 6-minute walk test distance (6-MWT distance). Data were analyzed using the Mann Whitney test, Spearman correlation and logistic regression. RESULTS: Forty-two patients were enrolled, 61.9% presented increase of thoracic kyphosis. There was no difference in values of FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC and 6-MWT distance between the groups with or without thoracic kyphosis (p = 0.407; p = 0.756; p = 0.415; p = 0.294). In the group without alteration, patients with more disease severity had a mean FEV1 of 74.1±21.9% and FVC of 79.8±18.7% while in those of lesser severity higher values were found (95.6±12.2% and 97.6±13.2%, respectively) (p = 0.027 and p = 0.027). The presence of kyphosis was correlated with age (p = 0.048) but not with severity (p = 0.151) and body mass index (p = 0.088). CONCLUSIONS: There was a high prevalence of increased thoracic kyphosis in children and adolescents with CF. The deformity did not affect pulmonary function and functional capacity and there was no relationship with disease severity. Regardless of posture, worsening of disease severity determined worsening of pulmonary function.OBJECTIVES To assess the impact of increased thoracic kyphosis on pulmonary function and functional capacity in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF) and to verify the influence of disease severity, age and nutritional status on this deformity. METHOD This was a cross-sectional, analytical study conducted at a university hospital. It included CF patients with confirmed diagnosis and without pulmonary exacerbation. The sample was submitted to postural assessment, spirometry (FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC) and 6-minute walk test distance (6-MWT distance). Data were analyzed using the Mann Whitney test, Spearman correlation and logistic regression. RESULTS Forty-two patients were enrolled, 61.9% presented increase of thoracic kyphosis. There was no difference in values of FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC and 6-MWT distance between the groups with or without thoracic kyphosis (p = 0.407; p = 0.756; p = 0.415; p = 0.294). In the group without alteration, patients with more disease severity had a mean FEV1 of 74.1±21.9% and FVC of 79.8±18.7% while in those of lesser severity higher values were found (95.6±12.2% and 97.6±13.2%, respectively) (p = 0.027 and p = 0.027). The presence of kyphosis was correlated with age (p = 0.048) but not with severity (p = 0.151) and body mass index (p = 0.088). CONCLUSIONS There was a high prevalence of increased thoracic kyphosis in children and adolescents with CF. The deformity did not affect pulmonary function and functional capacity and there was no relationship with disease severity. Regardless of posture, worsening of disease severity determined worsening of pulmonary function.

Walk test and school performance in mouth-breathing children

UNLABELLED In recent decades, many studies on mouth breathing (MB) have been published; however, little is known about many aspects of this syndrome, including severity, impact on physical and academic performances. OBJECTIVE Compare the physical performance in a six minutes walk test (6MWT) and the academic performance of MB and nasal-breathing (NB) children and adolescents. METHOD This is a descriptive, cross-sectional, and prospective study with MB and NB children submitted to the 6MWT and scholar performance assessment. RESULTS We included 156 children, 87 girls (60 NB and 27 MB) and 69 boys (44 NB and 25 MB). Variables were analyzed during the 6MWT: heart rate (HR), respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, distance walked in six minutes and modified Borg scale. All the variables studied were statistically different between groups NB and MB, with the exception of school performance and HR in 6MWT. CONCLUSION MB affects physical performance and not the academic performance, we noticed a changed pattern in the 6MWT in the MB group. Since the MBs in our study were classified as non-severe, other studies comparing the academic performance variables and 6MWT are needed to better understand the process of physical and academic performances in MB children.