[Peak expiratory flow in 6-12 year-old children from Merida, Yucatan, Mexico].
BACKGROUND
Assessment of pulmonary function may be done by several procedures, such as spirometric and flow metric ones.


OBJECTIVE
To obtain a peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) percentilar curve in healthy schoolchildren of both sexes of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.


METHODS
We carried out a transversal and observational study in schoolchildren between 6 and 12 years old of both sexes. They were evaluated by a demographic questionnaire that included age, weight, height and health status, and then the PEFR was assessed using a mini-Wright Peak Flow Meter recording the highest of the three numbers achieved.


RESULTS
We included 621 healthy schoolchildren between 6 and 12 years old of both sexes, 321 girls and 300 boys, of two schools that were selected by random sampling. The media age was 9 +/- 2 years old, height 128 +/- 10 cm, weight 30.34 +/- 9.75 kg, corporal surface 1.049 +/- 0.22 m2, and PEFR 293.72 +/- 66 L/min. When we compared the PEFR with age, height and weight, we saw that height was a more reliable predictor than age or weight, since higher values of R were obtained. There was not a significant difference of PEFR between boys and girls.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that the pulmonary function values increase proportionally to height, which showed the higher correlation to FEM.
Baeza Bacab
Manuel Antonio
MA
Facultad de medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México. mbaeza@cablered.net.mx
Dávila Velázquez
Jorge Rubén
JR
Palma Chan
Adolfo Gonzalo
AG
Albertos Alpuche
Nelly E
NE
D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D012016:Reference Values