Regression equations for peak expiratory flow in healthy children aged 7 to 14 years from Punjab, India

BACKGROUND: Measurement of peak expiratory flow (PEF) is imperative for management and evaluation of asthmatic children. It is well-known that lung function parameters show wide variations with respect to regional, racial, and genetic factors. AIM: This study was conducted to measure PEF in healthy Punjabi children aged 7-14 years as only a few studies have evaluated the lung functions in North Indian children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which PEF was measured in 366 healthy schoolchildren (186 boys and 180 girls) of Patiala district, using the Mini Wright Peak Flow Meter. Best of the three trials was recorded. All the subjects were tested in standing position after recording their age, height, and weight. SPSS v. 13 was used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: The present study showed that all the three independent variables (age, height, and weight) had a significant positive correlation with PEF, in both genders. Furthermore, height was maximally correlated with PEF in both boys (r = 0.970) and girls (r = 0.964). The mean PEF value in boys (249.34 ± 81.36 L/min) was significantly higher than girls (233.31 ± 67.06 L/min). Regression equations for PEF were also determined using age, height, and weight, separately for the genders. CONCLUSION: Equations derived from this study for estimation of expected PEF values would help the clinicians in assessing the airway obstruction in this population subset.