PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - R Primhak
AU  - FS Coates
TI  - Malnutrition and peak expiratory flow rate
AID  - 10.1183/09031936.93.01090801
DP  - 1988 Oct 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 801--803
VI  - 1
IP  - 9
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/1/9/801.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/1/9/801.full
SO  - Eur Respir J1988 Oct 01; 1
AB  - In order to assess the effects of malnutrition on the growth of lung function, 376 Indian schoolchildren aged 6-12 yrs were studied. Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was measured with a Wright peak flow meter, and nutritional status assessed by calculation of the percentage predicted height for age (HFA) and weight for height (WFH) using Harvard standards. After standardizing for height and sex, the PEFR of 30 wasted children (WFH below 80%) was significantly reduced (p less than 0.01), but that of 135 stunted children (HFA below 90%) was higher than average (p less than 0.05). It is concluded that current malnutrition has a negative effect on PEFR, possibly due to impaired muscle function, but that past or chronic malnutrition affects growth of lung function less than it affects somatic growth.