Clinical applications of infant lung function testing: does it contribute to clinical decision making?
Infant lung function testing is important in clinical research and recent standardisation efforts have enabled measurements to be made in infants in different laboratories throughout the world. Thus, the theoretical conditions are now fulfilled for use of these techniques in clinical practice. This review discusses the usefulness of various infant lung function techniques in a clinical setting and their potential present or future clinical application. It will focus on the role of infant lung function in the clinical management of infants with respiratory disease.
Frey
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Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Dept. of Paediatrics, University Hospital of Berne, Inselspital, Berne 4010, Switzerland.
D000367:Age Factors; D000403:Airway Resistance; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D003657:Decision Making; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000379:methods*; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013147:Spirometry; D013990:Tidal Volume