Factors related to the performance of nasal inspiratory flow in healthy children from 8 to 11 years old

Abstract

 Nasal obstruction is a condition which can be triggered by several factors and it reduces the child`s life quality. By quantifying objectively, the obstruction, enables to evaluate whether it is important or not.  Peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) measurement is a low-cost affordable method available at public health services. Reference values can be obtained with PNIF measures, but they are conflicting. The objective was to assess whether healthy children from 8 to 11 years old can perform the necessary actions to determine the PNIF; to identify the factors associated with it, and the possibility of establishing reference values for this population. The methodology considered the population of children of an educational institution, from 8 to 11 years of age. Measurements of weight, height, gender and age were taken. Peak nasal inspiratory flow was measured by means of the device In-Check (nasal) inspiratory flow meter in L / min. Flow was checked 3 times with 1 minute interval between each measurement, blindly at each step in 4 different times with an interval from 48 to 72 hours. Statistical analysis was based on the linear regression and t test with statistical significance of ? 0.05. As results, a total of 124 children were evaluated, 66 males and 58 females. There were no differences concerning the gender, average weight (kg) and height (in cm). The mean value of the peak nasal inspiratory flow for females was 80.99 and for males 87.51. There was a weak correlation between the age and the peak nasal inspiratory flow. There was a significant difference between the first and the other evaluations, p = 0.003, but no differences were found between the second, third and fourth. Peak nasal inspiratory flow measurements do not enable conclusion about real cause of obstruction. It can be affirmed that there is nasal obstruction; there was a significant increase from the first to the further measurements, and it is not possible to explain this fact by means of anatomical factors or by the nasal physiological cycle. Children comprising the age range studied can understand how to measure PNIF and therefore this fact would be an additional tool for evaluation of nostrils obstruction. The absence of universally accepted values for the different age groups, and conflicts between these values, indicate the necessity of employing each individual as a control factor for himself/herself. As conclusion, the evaluation of the peak nasal inspiratory flow becomes possible among children from 8 to 11 years and must be considered individually, that is, before and after each procedure, since the child can improve himself / herself by employing this technique.