Prediction model for peak expiratory flow among children in Kocaeli, Turkey

Objective: To evaluate Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) values in Turkish children between the ages 6 and 14 years old according to height, gender and age. Methods: Data was obtained from public health screening days in primary care practice on 1439 children. Peak expiratory flow (PEF) was measured for each child with a Mini Wright Peak Flow Meter. The study was assessed to find a correlation between heights, age and PEF values in children. Results: In our study, PEF values increased significantly with age and height in both genders. According to our results, the equation for prediction of PEF was calculated for girls as (7.37 × age [years])+ (3.02 × height [cm]) – 222.1 (p < .001, r= 0.83) and for boys (7.92 × age [years])+ (3.13 × height [cm]) – 230.9 (p < .001, r =0.83). Conclusions: The PEF values are statistically significant associated with age and height for girls and boys. The prediction equations specifically developed for children in Kocaeli can be used in clinical practice and these equations may help clinicians to better characterize individual or population airway responsiveness.