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Practical interest in the detection of functional abnormalities in infants and children with lung disease

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Abstract

There are new techniques which have been developed in order to assess objective functional data concerning the severity and type of abnormalities in infants and children with lung disease. In the present review some applications of the various techniques are given in connection with deductions, which can be based on such functional findings. Insight into the mechanisms leading to lung disease and the institution of appropriate therapeutic guidelines largely depend on whether the degree of pulmonary hyperinflation or restriction, of bronchial obstruction, of bronchial hyperreactivity, of ventilation inequalities and the function of gas exchange can be objectively evaluated. Recent advances in the non-invasive assessment of lung function in infants and children promises progress in this task.

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Abbreviations

BPD:

bronchopulmonary dysplasia

CF:

cystic fibrosis

FEV1 :

forced expiratory volume in 1 s

Gaw:

airway conductance, plethysmographically determined

MEF50 :

maximal expiratory flow at 50% expired vital capacity

MIF50 :

maximal inspiratory flow at 50% inspired vital capacity

PD65 :

Provocation dose inducing 65% increase of respiratory resistance

Raw:

Airway resistance, plethysmographically determined

Rint :

Respiratory resistance, measured by interruption technique

TGV:

Thoracic gas volume; measuring end-expiratory resting level by the plethysmographic technique

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatrics, University of Berne, Inselspital, CH-3010, Berne, Switzerland

    R. Kraemer

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Additional information

In part presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Society for Pediatric Research, Zürich, September 1–4th, 1991 and at the Postgraduate course on infant lung function testing of the American Thoracic Society, Miami, May 16–21th 1992

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Kraemer, R. Practical interest in the detection of functional abnormalities in infants and children with lung disease. Eur J Pediatr 152, 382–386 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01955891

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