PULMONARY FUNCTION TESTS IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN WITH CYSTIC

ABSTRACT Pulmonary function tests have rarely been assessed in preschool children with cystic fibrosis. The objective of this multicenter study was to compare,pulmonary,function in 39 preschool children with cystic fibrosis (height, 90 to 130 cm; 16 homozygous ΔF508) and in 79 healthy controls. Functional residual capacity (helium dilution technique) and expiratory interrupter resistance (interrupter technique) were measured. As compared to controls, cystic fibrosis patients had significantly higher expiratory interrupter resistance expressed as absolute values and as Z-scores (1.05±0.36 vs. 0.80±0.20 KPa·L -1