Reference values for peak nasal inspiratory flow in children and adolescents in Brazil.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: Allergic rhinitis is a global public health issue. Peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) can help in the assessment of patients with allergic rhinitis. However, reference values in the literature for PNIF in school children and adolescents are limited. THE AIM OF THIS STUDY was to identify reference values of PNIF among children and adolescents. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study to identify reference values of PNIF among healthy school children and adolescents aged from eight to fifteen years old, selected from 14 randomly selected public schools. Participants performed measurements of PNIF using the In-check-inspiratory flow meter (Clement Clarke, Harlow, England). PNIF values were correlated to gender, age, height, weight and body mass index. RESULTS: A total of 526 subjects participated in the study. The final linear regression model for PNIF allowed obtaining the following equation for subjects aged from eight to 15 years old: PNIF (l/m) = height (centimeters) x 0.7 + 11.2, for boys and PNIF (l/m) = height (centimeters) x 0.7, for girls. CONCLUSION: the equations of the final regression model resulted in a simple formula to obtain reference values of PNIF for subjects aged from 8 to 15 years old.

[Prevalence of rheumatic fever in children from a public high school in Belo Horizonte]. / Prevalência da febre reumática em crianças de uma escola da rede pública de Belo Horizonte.

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of rheumatic fever (RF) among children of a public high school in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. METHODS: The study was performed from March to December/92, and involved high school students coming from families of the medium and low-medium social classes. Considering the total of 1,400 students registered in a public school and the estimated RF prevalence in the developing country, 729 students were randomly chosen to be interviewed and examined by a researcher. The children suspected of being affect by RF were submitted to echocardiography in order to find any cardiac lesions. RESULTS: Due to several different factors, only 550 students aging from 10 to 20 years were admitted in this study. Four children, previously under secondary prophylactics, had already had the diagnosis of RF. Among these children, only one had heart disease (combined mitral incompetence and stenosis, and aortic incompetence). From the other three children, only one had the diagnosis of RF confirmed according to the Jones criteria. CONCLUSION: From the ata obtained, the prevalence of RF was calculated in 3.6/1000.