A Study on Spirometry Pattern of Normal Children

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Pulmonary function test is one of the most important tools in the management of patients with respiratory tract diseases and allergic diseases. In recent years pulmonary function tests have had a wide application in clinical pulmonary diseases. But, there were a few trials of pulmonary function test in normal children. So We performed spirometry-based pulmonary function tests of normal children. METHODS: We performed pulmonary function tests on 195 children without pulmonary symptomes of 6 grade primary school in Taejion, Korea. We measured mean and standard deviation of each pulmonary function value and evaluated about relationship between pulmonary function values and height, weight, age, and sex. And we also evaluated distribution of pulmonary function values. RESULTS: 1) The values of pulmonary function test items were generally higher in boys than those of girls. 2) Pulmonary function values incresed with height, weight and age. 3) Mean %FEV1 and %FVC were 90.5% and 82.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary function values of normal children were distributed with wide range and each pulmonary function value (%FEV1, %FVC, FEV1/FVC) showed different distribution pattern.