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Normal peak nasal inspiratory flow rate values in Greek children and adolescents

A Papachristou1, E Bourli, D Aivazi

  • 1First Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

Hippokratia
|October 17, 2008
PubMed

Insights

This study establishes normal Peak Nasal Inspiratory Flow Rate (PNIFR) values for children and adolescents, crucial for assessing nasal obstruction and airway patency. Findings show PNIFR increases with age and is higher in boys than girls until age 12.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Otolaryngology
  • Respiratory Physiology

Background:

  • Peak Nasal Inspiratory Flow Rate (PNIFR) is a key clinical metric for evaluating nasal airway patency and obstruction.
  • Establishing normative data is essential for accurate clinical interpretation in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish reference tables for normal Peak Nasal Inspiratory Flow Rate (PNIFR) values in Greek children and adolescents.
  • To provide a baseline for assessing nasal obstruction severity and guiding treatment.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 3,170 pupils aged 5-18 years.
  • Exclusion criteria included acute/chronic upper airway obstruction and low weight/height percentiles.
  • PNIFR was measured using a portable Youlten Peak Flow meter.

Main Results:

  • PNIFR demonstrated a continuous increase with age in both boys and girls.
  • Boys exhibited higher PNIFR values compared to girls, with statistical significance up to age 12.
  • Normative data were collected for the Greek pediatric population.

Conclusions:

  • Normal PNIFR ranges are vital for diagnosing nasal obstruction and monitoring treatment efficacy.
  • This study provides the first detailed PNIFR standards for Greek children and adolescents.
  • The established reference values aid in the clinical assessment of nasal patency.
Abstract

Keywords:
adolescentschildrennasal inspiratory flow ratenormal values

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