Association of FEV1 and PEF with small airway function in asthmatic children: cross-sectional analysis of 619 cases / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and the maximum peak expiratory flow (PEF) with small airway function in asthmatic children of different ages and genders.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This cross-sectional study was conducted among 619 asthmatic children with disease remission aged 3 to 13 years. The children were divided into 3 age groups, namely 3 to 5 years group (314 cases), 6 to 9 years group (207 cases) and 10 to 13 years group (98 cases), and their respiratory physiological parameters such as FEV1 and PEF were measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the airway function parameters, PEF showed the highest abnormality rate (>85%) in these asthmatic children. In male and female asthmatic children aged 6 to 9 years, abnormalities in forced expiratory flow rate 25% (MEF25) showed the highest frequency (56% and 63%, respectively). In 3-5 years and 10-13 years groups, MEF25 abnormalities were the most frequent in male children (43% and 71%, respectively), whereas abnormalities in MEF50 were the most common in female children (33% and 69%, respectively). FEV1 and PEF were positively correlated to all the parameters of small airway functions in these asthmatic children (r>0.5, P<0.01) except for MEF25 in female asthmatic children aged 3 to 5 years (r=0.19, P=0.168; r=0.086, P=0.535).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In asthmatic children, FEV1 and PEF are positively correlated to the parameters of small airway function with only the exception of MEF25 in female children aged 3 to 5 years, suggesting the value of FEV1 in the diagnosis of asthma in children.</p>