title: [Knowledge of flowmetry among asthmatic children and adolescents].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The correct control of asthmatic children and teenagers substantially improves their quality of life. The use of the peak flowmeter permits to monitor the pulmonary function and to control this disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To gather information about the use of the peak flowmeter in asthmatic children and teenagers.
  
  
  METHODS
  It was a descriptive and observational study done in 81 asthmatic children and teenagers who attended a summer camp. They answered a questionnaire in order to know their knowledge about the peak flowmeter's use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age of the studied group ranked from five to 18 years (54.3% between five to 10 years). Out of the 81 children and teenagers, 64 knew about the peak flow. In spite of the knowledge, only 38 (46.9%) had used it in at least one occasion and 20 (24.7%) in an ambulatory manner (16 used it when they feel bad, and four, every day). Only nine of these 20 children knew the correct way to use it, to interpret the results and what the normal peak flow was. All of these children and teenagers were under medical control. Allergists were attending 66.7%. Independently of the specialty of their doctors, the average of the children that didn't use the peak flowmeter in their control of asthma was always over than 50%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In spite that all these children and teenagers were on medical care, the knowledge of the peak flowmeter usage was not enough to take advantage.
authors.affiliation: Centro Regional de Alergia e Inmunología Clínica (CRAIC), Hospital Universitario Dr. José Eleuterio González, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Av. Madero y Gonzalitos s/n, Colonia Mitras Centro, 64440, Monterrey, NL, México.
authors.forename: Martha Elvia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Martínez Hernández
authors.forename: Sandra N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: González Díaz
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Canseco González
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arias Cruz
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Macías
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galindo
authors.forename: Lucía
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: León
authors.forename: José I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Canseco
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Buenfil
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D012212:Rheology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires