Lung function measurements in children - copsac
Lung function measurements in children - copsac
Lung function measurements in children - copsac
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Introduction<br />
Symptoms of chronic respiratory disease as asthma or cystic fibrosis appear <strong>in</strong> early<br />
childhood. Cl<strong>in</strong>ical evaluation of chronic respiratory disease by auscultation and history<br />
of respiratory symptoms is of limited sensitivity and specificity, which makes<br />
diagnos<strong>in</strong>g and monitor<strong>in</strong>g the respiratory disease difficult. Therefore, lung <strong>function</strong><br />
measurement is “the gold-standard” for diagnos<strong>in</strong>g and monitor<strong>in</strong>g chronic lung<br />
diseases <strong>in</strong> young <strong>children</strong>.<br />
<strong>Lung</strong> <strong>function</strong> techniques <strong>in</strong> <strong>children</strong><br />
<strong>Lung</strong> <strong>function</strong> <strong>measurements</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>children</strong> can be measured with different methods<br />
accord<strong>in</strong>g to their age and feasibility. In this thesis we used the raised volume rapid<br />
thoracic compression technique <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>fants, wholebody plethysmography <strong>in</strong> preschool<br />
<strong>children</strong> and spirometry <strong>in</strong> school<strong>children</strong> to measure lung <strong>function</strong>. In the follow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
section the different lung <strong>function</strong> techniques are described briefly.<br />
<strong>Lung</strong> <strong>function</strong> measurement <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>fancy<br />
Raised volume rapid thoracic compression technique (RVRTC)<br />
Infant lung <strong>function</strong> test<strong>in</strong>g is <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly applied <strong>in</strong> research. It is often necessary to<br />
sedate the <strong>in</strong>fant dur<strong>in</strong>g measurement s<strong>in</strong>ce the <strong>in</strong>fant while awake cannot cooperate to<br />
special breath<strong>in</strong>g maneuvers. The RVRTC method requires relatively complex<br />
equipment for lung <strong>in</strong>flation. An external pressure is applied to the chest and abdomen<br />
to force expiration (Figure 1). The method allows <strong>measurements</strong> of volume-time<br />
parameters as for example forced expiratory volumes at 0.5 seconds.<br />
Figure 1: Equipment required for RVRTC (1)<br />
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