Abstract

OBJECTIVE

In preschool children, diagnosis of asthma is difficult because of not using spirometry objectively. instead of spirometry, other techiques that not required sedation and cooperation to evaluate pulmonary functions. Interrupter technique that measures the resistance of the airway, is one of these methods. Insufficient of references values hamper the use of this technique commonly. In this study,to determine the referencesal values of Turkish preschool children for interrupter technique is intended.

METHODS

50 healthy children who applied between January 2008 and September 2008 to the Behcet Uz Children Hospital, were accepted for this study. During the expiratory phase of tidal breathing interrupter technique for airway resistance measurements were performed. At least 5 measurements were made for each case, and median values of these measurements were the base. References values were determined according to age and height.

RESULTS

There were 28 boys (%56), 22 girls (%44); the average age is 3.2 ± 1.8 years respectively. The average value for Rint 0.489 kPa. L-1. s was determined.Rint values decrease with increasing age was observed (p <0.001). Rint value with the increase in height was found to be a significant reduction (p <0.001).Rint values will be calculated using the height parameter equation (Rint (e) = 1948-0015 × (cm)) was developed.

CONCLUSION

Interrupter technique in preschool children with objective measurements of airway resistance will help in the diagnosis of asthma.Knowing reference values of healthy children may enable disseminated use of this tecnique.