Tuberc Respir Dis.  2012 Jan;72(1):24-29.

Annual Change of Peak Expiratory Flow Rate in Asthma and COPD

• Hong SC
• Lee C
• Han JS
• Kim WD
• Lee KY
• Kim SJ
• Kim HJ
• Ha KW
• Chon GR
• Yoo KH

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Measurement of peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) in a follow-up examination for a chronic airway disease is useful because it has the advantages of being a simple measurement and can be repeated during examination. The aim of this study was to examine the annual decrease of PEFR in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and to confirm the factors which influence this decrease.
METHODS
From May, 2003 to September, 2010, the annual decrease of PEFR was obtained from asthma and COPD patients attending an outpatient pulmonary clinic. PEFR was measured using a Mini-Wright peak flow meter (Clement Clarke International Ltd. UK), and we conducted an analysis of factors that influence the change of PEFR and its average values.
RESULTS
The results showed an annual decrease of 1.70+/-12.86 L/min the asthmatic patients and an annual decrease of 10.3+/-7.32 L/min in the COPD patients. Age and FEV1 were the predictive factors influencing change in asthma, and FEV1 and smoking were the predictive factors influencing change in COPD.
CONCLUSION
We confirmed the annual decreasing PEFR in patients with chronic airway disease and identified factors that work in conjunction with FEV1 to influence the change.

Keyword

Forced Expiratory Volume; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Asthma; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate

MeSH Terms

Asthma
Follow-Up Studies
Forced Expiratory Volume
Humans
Outpatients
Peak Expiratory Flow Rate
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
Smoke
Smoking
Smoke

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Average of PEFR and linear regression analysis of PEFR. COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; PEER: peak expiratory flow rate.

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