The Repeatability of Forced Expiratory Manoeuvres in 4- to 6-Year-Old Children with Intermittent Bronchial Asthma in Healthy and in Exacerbated Status

INTRODUCTION: The question about the repeatability of forced expiratory manoeuvres in childhood lung function testing is of scientific and clinical interest. The following study investigated to what extent children ≥ 4 to < 7 years of age with intermittent bronchial asthma are able to produce reproducible lung function measurements on the one hand in the healthy status and on the other hand in an exacerbated status. METHOD: 64 children at the age of ≥ 4 to < 7 years with intermittent preschool bronchial asthma performed lung function measurements in the healthy status and again in an exacerbated status. FEV 1 values from the measurements were analysed according to ATS/ERS guidelines concerning repeatability. RESULTS: According to the new ATS/ERS guidelines 74.6 % of the children could perform at least 2, and 59.3 % could perform 3 repeatable measurements in the healthy status. In the exacerbated status this was 87.5 % and 68.8 %, respectively. There were no significant differences between the healthy and the exacerbated status and between the age groups. Compared to former repeatability criteria, children of this age group can perform significantly more reproducible measurements (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The ATS/ERS guidelines from 2007 simplify the repeatability of forced expiratory manoeuvres in children at ≥ 4 to < 7 years of age compared to the former criteria. Repeatability is not reduced in the exacerbated status. 74.6 % of children in this age group can produce repeatable lung function measurements.