[Peak expiratory flow rate in 4- to 15-year-old children. Comparison of 3 measuring models].
OBJECTIVE
a) To establish the possible differences between three different models of PEF-meter, including PF-Control for the first time; b) to build a normogram for each of the three models, as a function of different variables (age, height, and inspiratory and espiratory thoracic circumference); c) to search for differences between both sexes, and d) to study the mathematical correlation between the results yielded by the different models.


METHODS
PEF was measured in a sample of 476 school-children, in the range of 4 and 15 years (233 boys, 243 girls), with a mean age of 9,3 years and a height range between 96,8 cm and 178,8 cm (mean 137,9). PEF value was recorded as the best of three attempts when the difference them was less than 10%. Three devices of each model were used (Vitalograph, Mini-Wright, PF-Control). The utilisation was always done in a rotatory fashion at school time (15-17 hours) in the children's school.


RESULTS
We found significant differences between the three models (p < 0,0004). The best predictive variable for PEF is height, with an r = 0,90-0,92 (depending on the model) when the exponential model is considered. Independently of the device, there were significant differences between sexes.


CONCLUSIONS
a) The variable that expresses PEF the better is height; b) PEF values are different between girls and boys; c) there were significant differences between the various models; d) Monitoring of a given child must be done with the same model of PEF-meter, and e) The best correlation is obtained with the exponential model, although differences with the lineal model were not statistically significant.
Hernando Sastre
V
V
Departamento de Métodos Cuantitativos para la Economía, Facultad de Económicas, Universidad de Murcia.
García-Marcos
L
L
Gómez García
J
J
Faura Martínez
U
U
Rubio Pérez
J
J
Navarro Ortiz
M D
MD
Hernández Dólera
J A
JA
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D012016:Reference Values; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000379:methods