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Feasibility of routine respiratory function testing in preschool children
1Centro de Imunoalergologia, Hospital CUF Descobertas, Lisboa, Portugal. natachalsantos@gmail.com
Revista Portuguesa De Pneumologia
|December 11, 2012
Summary
Pulmonary function testing in preschool children is feasible in clinical settings. Success rates for spirometry and specific airway resistance increase with age, with modified maneuvers improving evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Respiratory Physiology
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Assessing respiratory function in preschool children presents unique methodological challenges.
- Feasibility in large-scale clinical practice remains an area for investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical feasibility of pulmonary function testing in preschool children.
- To determine success rates based on age for these tests.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 1,239 lung function tests in children aged 2-6 years.
- Utilized whole-body plethysmography for specific airway resistance (sRaw) and animated spirometry.
- Tests were conducted before and after bronchodilator administration, adhering to ATS/ERS criteria.
Main Results:
- 88% of spirometry tests met acceptability criteria, and 79% of sRaw measurements were successful.
- Full FEV(1) results were obtained in 65% of tests.
- Modified spirometric maneuvers (FEV(0.5), FEV(0.75)) increased successful evaluations.
Conclusions:
- Spirometry and sRaw assessment are viable in preschool children within a clinical context.
- Test success rates improve with increasing age.
- Reporting spirometric maneuvers with shorter expiratory times enhances diagnostic yield in younger children.
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