Evaluation of peak flowmeter for the measurement of peak expiratory flow rate

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to evaluate Peak Flowmeter instrument to measure Peak expiratory Flow rate which is one of the test used in lung function tests. The study was made on 40 normal medical student of Kufa college of Medicine, their age range [17-26] years with Mean +/- SD 19.78 +/- 1.45. The evaluation were done by two techniques, the first is to test the accuracy [systematic error] in which a comparison have been made of the peak expiratory flow rate by Peak Flowmeter with that which made by vitalograph spirometer, the results indicate that there were a significant differences between the two techniques. The other technique of evaluation is to test the reproducibility [Random error] of Peak Flowmeter by taken duplicate estimates of Peak expiratory Flow rate of each subjects and then to take the mean of paird difference of estimates at a steady state. The result of such evaluation indicate that there was no significant differences in this test