Impulse Oscillometry vs. Body Plethysmography in Assessing Respiratory Resistance in Children

Abstract

Summary. In 334 children aged 5-18 years, we compared the results of plethysmographic measurements of airway resistance (Raw) with oscillometric (impulse oscillometry; IOS) assessment of respiratory properties of the respiratory system (resistance (R) at 5, 20, and 35 Hz). All three resistances correlated significantly with plethysmographic Raw, and the strongest correlation was seen for R5 (r ¼ 0.64). R5, R20, and R35 were significantly greater than Raw in the whole group. In the group of children with obstruction (FEV 1 %FVC below lower limit of normal), R5 was still greater than Raw, while R20 and R35 were not. The Bland-Altman analysis comparing plethysmographic measurements with oscillometric R5 revealed a significant difference between Raw and R5 in the whole group, which disappeared in the group of obstructed patients. Oscillometric assessment of resistive properties of the respiratory system of the lung requires less patient cooperation than does plethysmography. As the results of measurements using oscillometric R5 are similar to those obtained by plethysmography, IOS may be useful in diagnosing children with obstructive respiratory diseases.

Impulse oscillometry in preschool children and association with body mass index

“…Thus, longitudinal studies can be performed in which monitoring each individual's development of lung function from infancy to adulthood. In accordance with earlier data obtained with forced oscillometry 14 and several recent observations, 15–18 our findings underline that impulse oscillometry is a reliable method to obtain precise lung function measurements in preschool children. Furthermore, oscillometry measurements may be a valuable additional tool to assess airflow obstruction in children with asthma 19 …”

Sistema de oscilometria de impulso em pediatria: revisão de literatura

“…Relações entre o IOS e a pletismografia também foram investigadas por Tomalak et al 7 em uma pesquisa que incluiu 334 indivíduos, com idades entre 5 e 18 anos, apresentando disfunções respiratórias (asma, doenças alérgicas, fibrose cística, bronquiectasias e fibrose pulmonar) fora do quadro de exacerbação. As relações entre os resultados das medições da pletismografia e das resistências a 5, 20 e 35 Hz do IOS foram analisadas.…”

“…6 O IOS oferece as mesmas vantagens da TOF, como exigir o mínimo de requisitos para a cooperação do paciente, medições rápidas, fáceis e reprodutíveis. 7,2 E, ao contrário das técnicas convencionais, como a espirometria, trata-se de um método que não utiliza os músculos respiratórios como fonte de força e sim um gerador externo de impulsos (alto-falante). 1,2,8 Dessa forma, é um sistema que parece ser mais representativo em situações da vida diária, pois sua interpretação se dá pela respiração corrente, ao invés de manobras expiratórias forçadas.…”

Decreased lung function after preschool wheezing rhinovirus illnesses in children at risk to develop asthma

“…Given IOS's requirement for minimum cooperation, it is very suitable for use in young children. IOS has been used to measure the mechanical properties of the respiratory system in children with asthma 8,9 and has been successfully used in children as young as 2 years. 10 During IOS, an external pressure impulse signal is applied during tidal breathing.…”