Related Experiment Videos
Pulmonary function growth velocity in children 6 to 18 years of age
1Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115.
Insights
Pulmonary function growth rate is a sensitive indicator of children's lung health. Peak lung function velocity (Vpk) and timing (Agepk) vary by sex and maturity, impacting overall growth trajectories.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Growth and Development
- Spirometry Analysis
Background:
- Childhood pulmonary function growth rate varies significantly with developmental stage.
- Attained lung function is a cumulative measure; growth rate may better reflect current pulmonary health.
- Understanding growth patterns is crucial for identifying deviations and potential health issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze pulmonary function growth velocities, peak velocity (Vpk), and age at peak velocity (Agepk) in children.
- To compare the timing of peak pulmonary function growth relative to height growth (lag period).
- To investigate the influence of sex and pubertal maturity on these growth parameters.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal analysis of spirometry data from 5,263 children (2,478 boys, 2,785 girls).
- Empirical derivation of annual growth velocities, Vpk, and Agepk for height, FVC, FEV1, and FEF25-75.
- Stratification by sex and height Agepk (early, middle, late maturity) to create mean velocity curves.
- Comparison of lag periods and regression analyses of Vpk and Agepk associations.
Main Results:
- Significant variations observed in the onset and magnitude of adolescent pulmonary function spurts between sexes and among individuals.
- Adolescent growth spurt duration was consistent across maturity groups (early, middle, late).
- Earlier maturing children exhibited greater preadolescent velocities and higher adolescent Vpk compared to later maturers.
Conclusions:
- Childhood pulmonary function growth is highly variable, influenced by sex and maturational timing.
- Maturity timing affects growth velocity and peak attainment, with earlier maturers showing accelerated growth.
- Growth rate analysis offers a more dynamic assessment of pediatric lung health than static measures.
Abstract:
Pulmonary function growth rate varies with a child's stage of growth. Since attained pulmonary function reflects the cumulative effects of growth, insults, and repair, rate of growth may be a more sensitive indicator of a child's current pulmonary health status. The sample for analyses included 2,478 white boys and 2,785 white girls followed annually by questionnaire and spirometry. Empirically derived annual growth velocities, peak velocity (Vpk), and age at which peak velocity occurred (Agepk) were determined for height, FVC, FEV1, and FEF25-75 for each child. Mean velocity curves for height, FVC, FEV1, and FEF25-75, stratified by sex and Agepk of height (an indicator for early, middle, or late maturity) were produced as a function of age. The differences between Agepk of FVC, FEV1, and FEF25-75 and Agepk of height (i.e., the lag period) were compared by sex and by the indicator of maturity. Linear regression analyses were performed to investigate associations between Vpk and Agepk of height, as well as between the lag period and Agepk of height. As is generally observed in height growth, there were considerable variations in the age of onset and magnitudes of the adolescent growth spurts of the pulmonary function parameters both between sexes and among children of the same sex. The duration of adolescent growth spurt appeared to be similar for all children, regardless of early, middle, or late maturity. Thus, those who matured earlier had shorter total growth periods than those who matured later. On the other hand, early maturers had greater growth velocities during preadolescence and greater adolescent Vpk than later maturers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)