Chest
Original ResearchLung Function TestingInterrupter Respiratory Resistance in Healthy Chinese Preschool Children
Section snippets
Subjects
This study was performed from May 2007 to October 2007. Kindergartens with children 4 to 6 years of age from two districts (Shatin and Tai Po) were chosen. The population from the two districts has an income and demographic distribution very similar to the rest of Hong Kong. Thus, results generated from this study should be applicable to the rest of the territory. The school principals of the chosen kindergartens were interviewed by the research team and details of the study were explained. An
Results
Eight kindergartens with a total number of 866 children 4 to 6 years of age were randomly selected and visited. Two hundred forty children were excluded for preterm birth (n = 65), physician-diagnosed asthma, or hyperactive airways (n = 82), wheezing in the past (n = 32), had respiratory tract infection in the preceding month (n = 31 children), and consent could not be obtained (n = 30). Of the 626 children who participated in the study, 509 (258 boys and 251 girls) were able to perform the
Discussion
In this first study that measured Rint in healthy Chinese children between 4 to 6 years of age, we have determined the normative data for Chinese preschool children. Rint values are highly repeatable within 10 min and 6 weeks.
The interrupter technique requires only passive cooperation, and a single reading merely takes a few seconds. This makes the technique suitable and attractive for preschoolers, who are usually not able to perform spirometry accurately. A feasibility study17 has documented
Acknowledgments
Author contributions: Drs. Li, Lam, So, Ms. Leung, and Dr. Chang planned the project and recruited the subjects. Dr. Leung, Ms. Tsen, and Mr. Au performed Rint measurements and collected the data. Dr. So, Ms. Leung, and Mr. Au analyzed the data. All authors revised the article and approved the final manuscript. Drs. Li and Chang are guarantors who accept full responsibility for the work and conduct of the study, had access to the data, and controlled the decision to publish.
References (0)
Cited by (6)
Assessing the measurement of airway resistance by the interrupter technique
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2013, Pediatric PulmonologyMechanics of the lung in the 20th century
2011, Comprehensive PhysiologyReference ranges for interrupter resistance technique: The Asthma UK Initiative
2010, European Respiratory Journal
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