Spirometric Lung Function Tests in School Children with Asthma

Abstract

Background: Asthma is one of the important chronic disorder in childhood, the incidence of paediatric asthma is increasing in many countries. Atopy is highly associated with childhood asthma. Spirometric measurements of lung function are playing a key role in the diagnosis and management of asthma in children.

Objective: To observe the lung function status in asthmatic children aged 6-15 years of both sexes.

Method: The present observational study was carried out in the Department of Physiology, Ibrahim Medical College, Dhaka between January 2010 and June 2010. For this, 30 asthmatic children were selected from Out Patient Department of Paediatric, Dhaka Medical College as a case and 30 apparently healthy children were taken as control. Subjects with history of pneumonia, congenital heart disease were excluded from the study. Spirometry was conducted on all patients by using Spirolab a new generation spirometer according to American Thoracic Society standards FEV₁, FVC, FEV₁/FVC% were measured. Measurement of PEFR was also done at the same time by using a new Mini-Wright Peak Flow Meter. Serum Ig-E level was measured by ELISA method and circulating eosinophil count was also measured by observing in peripheral blood flim. Data were analyzed by using SPSS. Statistical analysis was performed by unpaired student t test.

Results: The mean percentages of predicted values FEV₁, FVC, FEV₁/FVC%, PEFR were significantly lower in asthmatic children compared to those of apparently healthy children(P<0.001). Statistically significant differences of mean circulating eosinophil count and Ig E level( P<0.001) were observed between the groups. Again significant number of parents of the subject had history of allergic rhinitis.

Conclusion: The outcome of this study shows lung function status were lower in asthmatic children.

DOI: 10.3329/jbsp.v5i2.6781

J Bangladesh Soc Physiol. 2010 December; 5(2): 75-79