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THE ACUTE PULMONARY RESPONSE TO AMMONIA INHALATION

Abstract

R. McEvoy, B. Gabriel, M. Campbell, S. Smoot, D. McCann

Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA

Ammonia inhalants (AIs) have been commonly used as an over-the-counter first-aid product to alleviate fainting. Recently, an increasing number of athletes began using AIs with the goal of enhancing alertness and physical performance. However, no published studies have evaluated the acute physiological effects of AI administration on pulmonary function. PURPOSE: To determine the effects of a single AI ampule on one-second forced expiratory volume (FEV1.0), forced vital capacity (FVC) and maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV). METHODS: Twenty-two college aged students (11males and11females)with no history of respiratory conditions participated in this single-blind study, which was approved by the Gonzaga University Institutional Review Board for the use of human subjects. FEV1.0 and FVCpre- and post- inhalation of a single AI capsule or placebo inhalant (PI) capsule were performed two-weeks apart in a randomly-assigned balanced order. MVV was measured only post-inhalation after the post-inhalation FEV1.0 and FVC. All tests were performed using a commercially available metabolic cart. Paired t-tests were used todetermine if differences between pre- and post-inhalation of each inhalant and if differences between conditions for MVVexisted. RESULTS: No significant differences in FVC existed between pre- and post-PI (mean difference ±SE = 42.0±62.8 mL, p=0.50) or AI (mean difference ±SE =13.0±52.2 mL, p=0.81). Similarly, no differences existed between pre- and post-FEV1.0 for PI (mean difference ±SE =52.7±50.3 mL, p=0.31) or AI (mean difference ±SE =68.2±84.2 mL, p=0.42). MVV also was not difference between PI and AI (mean difference ±SE= 2.16±4.18 L, p=0.61). CONCLUSION: The inhalation of a single AI ampule results in neither beneficial nor detrimental effects on pulmonary function.

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