[Quality of spirometric measurements in children younger than 10 years of age in the light of the recommendations].
BACKGROUND
In 2005 the European Respiratory Society/American Thoracic Society (ERS/ATS) published an updated document on the standardization of spirometry (European Respiratory Journal 2005; 26: 319-338). It defines criteria for the acceptability of spirometric measurements. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the adherence to those standards of flow-volume measurements in children younger than 10 years of age.


METHODS
The analysis was carried out on the results obtained from 233 children aged 4.2-10 years, referred to a spirometric lab during a period of three months.


RESULTS
116 children (all but one preschool) did not cooperate; the results of the 117 who completed the procedure of flow-volume measurement were analysed using ERS/ATS criteria. 80.3% of the children had back extrapolated volume (Vbe) within the defined limit, but only 23.9% had forced expiratory time > 3 s. FEV(1) and FVC were repeatable in 78.6% of the children. When these three criteria were used together, the measurements were acceptable according to ATS/ERS recommendations in 17.1% of the children. Elimination of the forced expiratory time criterion has further increased their number to 63.2%.


CONCLUSIONS
Specific recommendations for children should be developed, as the current requirements appear too restrictive, especially regarding the time of forced expiration.
Tomalak
Waldemar
W
Zakład Fizjopatologii Układu Oddychania Instytutu Gruźlicy i Chorób Płuc, Oddział w Rabce-Zdroju Kierownik. wtomalak@zpigichp.edu.pl
Radliński
Jakub
J
Latawiec
Wojciech
W
D001249:Asthma / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001988:Bronchiolitis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005540:Forced Expiratory Flow Rates; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013147:Spirometry / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D014797:Vital Capacity