title: [Spirometric values in healthy Chilean children and adolescents].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spirometric flow and volume measurement are essential to evaluate patients with pulmonary disease. In Chile, several reference equations are used.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To measure flow and expiratory volumes in healthy children and adolescents and compare their results with theoretical values according to Knudson, Quanjer, Gutierrez and NANHES III.
  
  
  METHODS
  Spirometries were performed according to international standards in 1589 healthy children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years (861 females) who lived in Santiago, Chile.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The obtained values for forced vital capacity, expiratory volume in one second, peak expiratory flow, were significantly higher than those calculated according to the above mentioned standards (p < 0.0001) with differences up to 18.7%. We constructed reference formulas for ages ranging from 6 to 18 years, separated by gender, using age, weight and height as independent variables. The latter had the greater influence on formula construction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of these new local formulas with allow the correct interpretation of spirometric results obtained in Chilean children and adolescents.
authors.forename: Solange
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caussade
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Contreras
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Villarroel
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fierro
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bertrand
authors.forename: Nils L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Holmgren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000531:Altitude; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002677:Chile; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012016:Reference Values; D012143:Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D013147:Spirometry; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology