Peak expiratory flow rate in school-going children

Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was measured with mini Wright's peak flow meter in 783 children (aged 6-17 years) from a school in urban Delhi and 523 children (aged 6-15 years) from another school in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. In all the children, age in completed years, sex, height, weight, chest circumference at full inspiration and maximum chest expansion were recorded. Age, sex, height and weight were independent predictors of PEFR in children from Nellore. Age, sex and height, were independent predictors of PEFR in boys from Delhi while height alone was an independent predictor of PEFR in Delhi girls. Common prediction equations for predicting PEFR in boys and girls have been developed for both regions based on age and height. For the same height and age, boys had higher PEFR than girls. In the females, the PEFR seemed to have a plateaux effect after the age of 14 years; such an effect was, however, not seen in the boys in the age range studied. The PEFRs of children from both parts of the country were similar, and were lower than those reported for American white children.