[Peak flow monitoring of patients with asthma. 2. Practical use]

Abstract

Despite its simplicity, peak flow monitoring (PEFM) has proved to be a valuable method of investigation of the degree of severity of bronchial asthma and the effect of treatment and it has, therefore, been employed in a series of scientific investigations and testing of medicaments. On account of its simplicity, the method is suitable for outpatient monitoring of asthmatic patients in general practice and it can provide a valuable objective assessment of pulmonary function to supplement clinical assessment and the patient's symptoms. Employment of PEFM as a predictor of the short-term of long-term prognosis is good on a group basis but unsatisfactory in prediction of the prognosis for the individual patient. Although a series of sources of error are present, patients can achieve reliable results of measurements after meticulous instruction.