title: Impulse oscillometry in the evaluation of diseases of the airways in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide an overview of impulse oscillometry and its application to the evaluation of children with diseases of the airways.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medline and PubMed search, limited to English language and human disease, with keywords forced oscillation, impulse oscillometry, and asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The opinions of the authors were used to select studies for inclusion in this review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Impulse oscillometry is a noninvasive and rapid technique requiring only passive cooperation by the patient. Pressure oscillations are applied at the mouth to measure pulmonary resistance and reactance. It is employed by health care professionals to help diagnose pediatric pulmonary diseases such asthma and cystic fibrosis; assess therapeutic responses; and measure airway resistance during provocation testing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Impulse oscillometry provides a rapid, noninvasive measure of airway impedance. It may be easily employed in the diagnosis and management of diseases of the airways in children.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Allergic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1960, USA. komarowh@niaid.nih.gov
authors.forename: Hirsh D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Komarow
authors.forename: Ian A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Myles
authors.forename: Ashraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uzzaman
authors.forename: Dean D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Metcalfe
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D009991:Oscillometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*