Fig. 2

Lung function analysis 21 days (ped21) after elastase instillation. Measures were performed with a FLEXIVENT system. Five different parameters were assessed: elastance (A), deep inflation volume (B), pressure volume (pv) loop area (C), airway resistance (D) and tissue damping (E). Seven different animals were used in all the groups except in N-E, where we used 8 animals. Elastase instillation significantly affected elastance (p < 0.0001), deep inflation volume (p < 0.001) and pv loop area (p < 0.01) (3-way ANOVA). Analysis between individual groups showed that instillation of elastase significantly decreased elastance and increased deep inflation volume in both control (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively) and nicotine groups (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively) and significantly increased pv loop area in the control (p < 0.01), but not in nicotine group (2-way ANOVA). Other parameters were not significantly affected. Control-saline (C-S), control-elastase (C-E), nicotine-saline (N-S), nicotine-elastase (N-E)