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Current Allergy and Asthma Reports
Published in: Current Allergy and Asthma Reports 6/2011

01-12-2011 | Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (Jay M. Portnoy and Christina E. Ciaccio, Section Editors)

Pulmonary Function Testing in Young Children

Authors: Hugo Escobar, Terrence W. Carver Jr.

Published in: Current Allergy and Asthma Reports | Issue 6/2011

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Abstract

Pulmonary function testing (PFT) is of great importance in the evaluation and treatment of respiratory diseases. Spirometry is simple, noninvasive, and has been the most commonly used technique in cooperative children, obtaining reliable data in only a few minutes. The development of commercially available equipment as well as the simplification of previous techniques that now require minimal patient cooperation applied during tidal breathing have significantly stimulated the use of PFT in younger children. Tidal breathing techniques such as impulse oscillometry, gas dilution, and plethysmography have permitted previously unobtainable PFT in children 2 to 5 years of age. The purpose of this review is to help clinicians become familiar with available PFT techniques used in young children by discussing their general principles, clinical applications, and limitations.
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Metadata
Title
Pulmonary Function Testing in Young Children
Authors
Hugo Escobar
Terrence W. Carver Jr.
Publication date
01-12-2011
Publisher
Current Science Inc.
Published in
Current Allergy and Asthma Reports / Issue 6/2011
Print ISSN: 1529-7322
Electronic ISSN: 1534-6315
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-011-0220-9

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