Gender characteristics of perception of additional respiratory resistance

Abstract

When studying a number of respiratory diseases, it was noted that they have a different effect on the perception of respiratory effort and the assessment of the value of the additional respiratory resistance that occurs in men and women. The aim of the study was to study gender characteristics in the subjective assessment of different values of additional respiratory resistance. Methodology. We studied practically healthy subjects (34 men and 28 women), the average age of the subjects was 23.3±2.6 years. Additional respiratory resistance increased stepwise in gradations: 40; 60; 70; 80% of the maximum intraoral pressure (Pmmax). The breathing time with each gradation of resistance was limited to 5 minutes. Resistance tolerance was assessed using the Borg dyspnea visual analogue scale. Before and after stress testing, the subjects underwent situational psychological testing: FPS-2T (V.I. Chirkov’s test), SAN (V.A. Doskin’s test). During stress testing, the subjects were recorded the partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide of the alveolar air (PAO2, PACO2); alveolar ventilation (VA); work of breathing (W); airway resistance (Raw). Results. Gender differences were found in the subjective assessment of different values of additional respiratory resistance. Women showed a lower tolerance time for additional respiratory resistance than men. Breathing under conditions of additional respiratory resistance in women is characterized by less work of the respiratory muscles compared to men. When breathing in conditions of additional respiratory resistance, women experienced a higher level of dyspnea on the Borg scale than men on the same resistance values. The process of overcoming additional respiratory resistance was characterized by a number of situational psychological determinants, namely, higher values of the level of well-being, mood, wakefulness, motivation and a sense of the achieved success in men relative to those in women. Conclusion. An increase in the intensity of resistive loads leads to an increase in the affective component of respiratory sensations. The affective component of respiratory sensations is greater in women than in men.