[The value of respiratory function tests in the surveillance of asthmatic children]

Abstract

The purpose of pulmonary function testing in children with asthma is to search for obstructive airway disease. We examined the charts of 169 asthmatic children during intervals between acute exacerbations. The severity of asthma was determined according to VIALATTE classification, with the Tiffeneau ration FEV1/VC (1) and the MMFR/VC ratio serving as obstructive indices. According to these data, children were classified into three groups: normal children (normal FEV1/VC and MMFR/VC), children with probable obstruction of the distal airways (normal FEV1/VC and decreased MMFR/VC), and children with both proximal and distal airway obstruction (decreased FEV1/VC and MMFR/VC). Since suggested normal values vary in the literature, we compared FEV1 and MMFR to determine as accurately as possible the number of children with obstructive disease. The relationship between the degree of clinical involvement and pulmonary function testing results was studied. Clinically, asymptomatic children with suspected normal respiratory function had evidence of obstructive disease in two out of three cases, and would benefit from drug therapy.