Peak expiratory flow values are higher in older and taller healthy male children: an observational study.
OBJECTIVE
Peak expiratory flow (PEF) was measured in healthy children aged five to ten years in order to provide baseline values and to determine correlations between PEF and factors such as gender, age and type of school.


METHODS
After the Ethical Committee of Research in Human of the School of Medicine of ABC - FMABC approval, PEF and height were measured in 1942 children between five and ten years old from nine public schools and nine private schools throughout São Bernardo do Campo City. PEF was measured using the Mini-Wright Peak Flow Meter (Clement Clarke International Ltd.) and. height was measured using a Sanny professional stadiometer .


RESULTS
Significant differences were found in values for PEF: higher values were seen in older students in comparison with younger students, in males in comparison with females and in students from private schools in comparison with public schools, with average values ranging from 206 L/min to 248 L/min,. Linear correlations were seen for PEF values with both height and age (Spearman Coefficient).


CONCLUSIONS
Differences were seen for PEF between genders and between types of school, and a linear correlation was seen for PEF with both age and height in healthy children from five to ten years old.
Radziavicius
Fernanda R
FR
Department of Morphology and Physiology, School of Medicine of ABC, 09060-650 Santo André, SP, Brazil.
Martins
Lourdes C
LC
Radziavicius
Camilla C
CC
Valenti
Vitor E
VE
Siqueira
Arnaldo A F
AA
de Souza
Cíntia G
CG
de Abreu
Luiz C
LC
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D012574:Schools; D012727:Sex Characteristics