[Validity of peak flow record in asthmatic children residing in Mexico City].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the concordance between maximum peak expiratory flow records (PEFr) reported by the parents of asthmatic children and the electronic values stored by the AirWatch device (PEFe).


METHODS
Records of PEF measurements between October 1998 and 1999 were obtained from 42 asthmatic children 5 to 15 years of age recruited at the Hospital Infantil de Mexico Federico Gomez, in Mexico City. Parents recorded the maximum value in the health diary. Spearman correlation was calculated between PEFe and PEFr and a mixed-effects logistic model was used.


RESULTS
The correlation between PEFe and PEFr was r=0.96 (p<0.05) among children with a diagnosis of moderate or severe asthma and r=0.40 (p<0.05) among children diagnosed with mild asthma. Follow-up time, asthma severity, gender and age of the child and their interactions were predictors of the differences between PEFe and PEFr.


CONCLUSIONS
Parents of children with moderate or severe asthma from 6 to 8 years of age report PEF values with greater accuracy during follow-up than others.
Jiménez-Millán
Diana
D
Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
Ramírez-Aguilar
Matiana
M
Moreno-Macías
Hortensia
H
Barraza-Villarreal
Albino
A
del Río-Navarro
Blanca Estela
BE
Romieu
Isabelle
I
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D014505:Urban Population