ABSTRACT
To evaluate the diaphragm muscle is important for verifying its possible changes or malfunctions. There are several ways to evaluate the diaphragmatic mobility, but only a few compare the mobility of the right hemidiaphragm with the left one. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there are differences between the mobility of right and left hemidiaphragms in healthy individuals and individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as to evaluate the diaphragmatic mobility between men and women, and between healthy and COPD patients. We evaluated 40 healthy individuals and 40 individuals with clinical diagnosis of COPD. Anthropometric and cardiopulmonary parameters were used. The diaphragmatic mobility was evaluated by radiography. Data were statistically analyzed and processed with descriptive analysis (mean and standard deviation) and inferential analysis. To compare the mobilities of the right and left hemidiaphragms, the paired t-test was used. The significance level adopted for statistical treatment was 5% (p<0.05). There was no difference of the diaphragmatic mobility for both left and right sides in healthy individuals (p=0.45) and individuals with COPD (p=0.77). Also, no differences were found when groups were separated according to sex. An important difference was found comparing both diaphragmatic mobilities of the right and left sides between healthy and COPD individuals (p<0.001). We concluded that mobility of left and right hemidiaphragms in healthy and COPD individuals is the same. There is no difference for mobility between men and women. Diaphragmatic mobility is reduced in COPD patients.
Keywords
Diaphragm; Movement; Radiography
