title: [Pulmonary function in children following community-acquired pneumonia contracted at pre-school age].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Some studies relate pulmonary function (PF) during adult life to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) suffered during infancy. The aim of the present work was to evaluate PF in children following CAP, contracted at pre-school age, which required hospitalisation. The hypothesis was that, once resolved, CAP in pre-school age children does not affect PF; further monitoring should therefore be unnecessary.
  
  
  METHODS
  PF was studied in a cohort of children who had suffered CAP at pre-school age, for which they were hospitalised. Children aged over 4 years were selected to try to ensure adequate collaboration, and a forced spirometry test was attempted in all of them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the initial 49 patients, 42 (85.7%) correctly performed the forced spirometry test. All were asymptomatic at the time of examination. The mean age of these patients was 6,6 ± 1,2 years; 25 were boys (54,3%). The mean time between CAP and the test was 19,5 ± 7,6 months. The results (mean ± SD) obtained with respect to theoretical values were: forced respiratory volume in the first second 107.73 ± 14.56% and forced vital capacity 101,6 ± 15,35%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PF of children who have suffered CAP at pre-school age is normal following the resolution of the condition. No further PF studies are required after CAP resolves.
authors.affiliation: Servicio Pediatría, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, España. ajota13@hotmail.com
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Jiménez Ortega
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López-Neyra
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sanz Santiago
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Coca
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Villa Asensi
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014797:Vital Capacity