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Employing the Forced Oscillation Technique for the Assessment of Respiratory Mechanics in Adults
Published on: February 9, 2022
Assessment of airway reversibility in asthmatic children using forced oscillation technique - A single-center
Neeraj Gupta1, Anil Sachdev1, Dhiren Gupta1
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency, Critical Care, Pulmonology and Allergic Disorders, Institute of Child Health, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Insights
Forced oscillation technique (FOT) effectively assesses airway reversibility in children with suspected asthma. This lung function test provides valuable data for managing pediatric asthma in developing regions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Respiratory Physiology
- Asthma Management
Background:
- Lung function testing is crucial for asthma management.
- Conventional spirometry has limitations in vulnerable populations.
- Forced Oscillation Technique (FOT) shows promise for pediatric lung function assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate airway reversibility using FOT in asymptomatic children with suspected asthma.
- To gather data on FOT in a developing country context.
- To assess the utility of FOT for pediatric asthma management.
Main Methods:
- Prospective interventional study conducted over 1 year at a tertiary care hospital in North India.
- Participants included asymptomatic children aged 2-18 years with asthma-suggestive history.
- Pulmonary functions, including airway resistance and reactance, were measured using FOT pre- and post-salbutamol.
Main Results:
- Significant changes in total airway resistance, central and peripheral airway resistance, reactance, and resonant frequency were observed post-salbutamol.
- The median percentage changes in FOT parameters ranged from 14.08% to 39.20%.
- Respiratory variables showed a negative correlation with height and body mass index.
Conclusions:
- Forced Oscillation Technique (FOT) is a simple and effective method for monitoring lung function in children.
- FOT provides valuable insights for asthma management in pediatric populations.
- This study highlights the applicability of FOT in developing countries.
Background:
Lung function testing is recommended for the management of asthma. Due to certain limitations of conventional spirometry in vulnerable patients, forced oscillation technique (FOT) has been studied with promising results. As there is a paucity of data from developing world, we planned to conduct this study in children using FOT. To assess airway reversibility after inhaled salbutamol in asymptomatic children with suspected asthma.
Settings:
This study was conducted at pediatric asthma clinic of a tertiary care referral hospital in North India.
Design:
This was a prospective interventional study over 1-year period.
Subjects And Methods:
Asymptomatic children between 2 and 18 years of age, with history suggestive of asthma, were eligible for participation. Baseline and postbronchodilator pulmonary functions were assessed using FOT. Airway resistance and reactance were monitored at various frequencies. SPSS version 17 was used for statistical analysis.
Results:
Among the 345 enrolled children, baseline mean ± standard deviation total airway resistance (R5), central airway resistance (R19), peripheral airway resistance (R5-R19), reactance (X5), and resonant frequency (Fres) were 6.85 ± 2.60, 5.23 ± 1.93, 1.6 ± 1.16, and - 2.54 ± 1.36 cmH2O/L/s and 17.28 ± 3.06 Hz. The median (interquartile range) percentage change after inhaled salbutamol was 19.9 (11.40, 29.12), 22.86 (6.88, 38.76), 14.08 (3.40, 22.62), 39.20 (8.20, 62.39), and 15.79 (8.33, 27.27) in respective parameters. All changes were statistically significant. The studied respiratory variables were in maximum negative correlation with height, followed by body mass index.
Conclusions:
FOT is a simple technique for monitoring lung functions in children during asthma management.
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