Pulmonary function in children post-empyema: spirometry versus lung clearance index.

Background: We hypothesise that the lung clearance index (LCI) would be superior to spirometry in diagnosing early-stage respiratory diseases earlier and, more precisely, in patients who received medical or surgical treatment for empyema.

Methods: Children over 5 years old diagnosed with empyema at least 6 months ago were recruited. In addition, a control group was created from healthy individuals between the ages of 5-18 years. Spirometry and LCI were performed in both groups.

Results: The spirometric values of the patients were compared with the spirometric values of the controls; there was no significant difference between the patient and control groups' forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV₁/FVC z scores results when compared (p=0.610, p=0.342 and p=0.298, respectively). In addition, when the LCI 2.5% values of the patients were compared with the LCI 2.5% values of the controls and reference values, the LCI 2.5% was found to be significantly abnormal (p=0.003 and p=0.005, respectively).

Conclusion: In the long-term follow-up of patients who received inpatient treatment for empyema, airway disease that could not be detected by spirometry was obtained using the LCI method.