Related Experiment Videos
[Several aspects of respiratory function testing in children]
F Marchal1, N Loos, C Schweitzer
1Service d'Explorations Fonctionnelles Pédiatriques, Hôpital d'Enfants, CHU de Nancy, Vandaeuvre-lès-Nancy.
Insights
Respiratory function testing (RFT) aids in diagnosing and managing respiratory conditions in children. Non-invasive methods like respiratory resistance are valuable for assessing airway obstruction and hyperresponsiveness in younger children.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Pediatric Respiratory Health
- Diagnostic Techniques
Context:
- Respiratory function testing (RFT) is crucial for pediatric respiratory health.
- Applications in preschool children present unique challenges and opportunities.
- Asthma and obstructive airway diseases are common conditions benefiting from RFT.
Purpose:
- To review practical aspects of RFT in preschool children.
- To explore diagnostic, management, and follow-up applications of RFT.
- To highlight the utility of non-invasive measurements for younger children.
Summary:
- Traditional spirometry (Vital Capacity, FEV1) is less reliable in children under 7.
- Non-invasive methods like respiratory resistance (Rrs) and specific airway resistance (sRaw) are suitable for preschool children.
- Rrs and sRaw can quantify airway obstruction reversibility and hyperresponsiveness, while FRC assessment tracks lung growth.
Impact:
- Standardized RFT techniques and indications are needed for preschool children.
- Improved RFT application can enhance the diagnosis and management of pediatric respiratory diseases.
- Longitudinal studies using FRC can monitor lung development in young children.
Abstract:
Some practical aspects of respiratory function testing (RFT) are reviewed with special interest on applications in preschool children. RFT may be used for diagnostic, management and follow up purposes. Children may benefit from RFT in a variety of pathological situations. Asthma and other obstructive airways diseases certainly represent the most frequent conditions. Vital Capacity and Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1) may usually be obtained from age 7 on. In smaller children, the forced expiratory manoeuvre is much less successful. Non invasive measurements such as respiratory resistance (Rrs) or specific airway resistance (sRaw) may be used. Rrs is usually measured by the interrupter technique or the forced oscillation technique and sRaw by body plethysmography, not requiring the estimation of thoracic gas volume. Because much variability is introduced by the upper airways, these parameters are less suited than FEV1 to establish the degree of baseline airway obstruction. On the other hand, Rrs and sRaw may quantify reversibility of airway obstruction and/or bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Lung hyperinflation may be identified by the assessment of Functional Residual Capacity (FRC) with a dilution method. More generally lung growth may be followed up in longitudinal studies of FRC even in small children. More work is needed to standardize RFT techniques and indications in the preschool child.