Utilidad de la espirometría en preescolares de 4 y 5 años

Abstract

Background; Spirometry is the most frequently used pulmonary function test. Previous studies have demonstrated the feasibility of carrying out spirometry in preschool patients. Aim: To describe spirometric values obtained in preschool patients studied in a pediatric pulmonary function laboratory. Patients and methods: We reviewed the spirometries performed -from 1996 to 2004- in 180 preschool patients (4- to 6- years old). Records of volume/time and flow/volume curves of spirometries were obtained with a Schiller SP100 spirometer. Variability of baseline measurements of forced vital capacity (CVF) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was analyzed. Results: The average age of the 180 school patients was 5.4 (SD:± 0.39) years and 53% were male. Either diagnosis or suspicious of asthma was the indication for performing spirometry in 172 (90%) of these children. One, two and three acceptable spirometric maneuvers were registered in 18 (10%), 99 (55%) and 63 (35%) patients respectively. Expiratory time was < 3 s in 24.4% (n=43), 3 to 6 s in 66% (n=116), and > 6 s in 9.6% (n=17) of patients. Expiratory time was larger in children >5- compared to <5- years old (4.1 ± 1.3 s versus 3.1 ± 0.49 s; p < 0.018). VEF1 variability in 162 children having 2 or 3 acceptable maneuvers was < 0.1 L in 67%, < 5% in 50% and < 10% in 80%. Spirometry was normal in 80.5%, obstructive in 19% and restrictive in one patient. Conclusions:We confirmed that most of the preschool patients are able to perform an adequate spirometric test in terms of acceptability and reproducibility. We suggest to study a normal population of preshool children in order to have normal local data available