PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Andre dos Santos Rocha
AU  - Adam Balogh
AU  - Isabelle Pichon
AU  - Walid Habre
TI  - Characterization of the spontaneous breathing variability in healthy children at rest: a prospective observational study
AID  - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2021.PA994
DP  - 2021 Sep 05
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - PA994
VI  - 58
IP  - suppl 65
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/PA994.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/PA994.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2021 Sep 05; 58
AB  - Introduction: Spontaneous breathing demonstrates appreciable breath-by-breath variations in rate and volume, even at rest. This natural variability is beneficial for lung structure and function, and is often disrupted in pulmonary diseases or mechanical ventilation. Despite the recognition of its importance, the variability of breathing in children is not well characterized. We aimed at describing the characteristics of breathing variability in healthy children at rest.Methods: 47 healthy children aged 1 to 12 years old were recruited during pre-anesthesia visits, prior to minor elective surgeries. Children with respiratory-tract diseases or history of snoring or sleep apnoea were excluded. Breathing was recorded overnight at home during 16 hours using respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP).Results: Forty-one cases were analysed in 3 age groups (group 1: 12 to 23 months, n=9; group 2: 2 to 6 years n=15; group 3: 6 to 12y, n=17). Six cases were excluded because of RIP band misplacement. Respiratory rate (RR) presented a mean coefficient of variation (CV) of 21.1% (14.9–27.3, 95% conf. interval), 19.6% (15.9–23.4) and 16.6% (13.8–19.3) in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The CV of tidal volume (VT), derived from respiratory inductance, was 17.6% (11.9–23.3), 14.9% (11.9–17.9) and 15.3% (12.3–18.2) in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. There was no evidence for statistical differences between groups.Conclusions: Spontaneous breathing RR and VT vary considerably in healthy children at rest, independently of age. These aspects of pediatric respiratory physiology provide healthy reference values for the assessment of lung diseases or mechanical ventilation.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA994.This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).