Can patients keep their own peak-flow records reliably?
Fifty patients recorded their peak expiratory-flow rate (P.E.F.R.) in hospital, unaided by nursing staff, five times a day for 5 days. Each patient's readings were randomly and independently checked on two occasions during this period. 69% of checked readings were accurate. Most patients kept satisfactory records as a table, but were less efficient in recording their results on a P.E.F.R. chart. Recording of P.E.F.R. by patients with respiratory disease saves nursing time and provides valuable clinical information.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000503:physiopathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005540:Forced Expiratory Flow Rates / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006753:Hospital Records; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010361:Patients; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011996:Records; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012212:Rheology