PEF measurement - what does it say about the patient?
PEF VALUE - WHAT WILL BENEFIT FROM WHAT IT depends?
What is the role of peak expiratory flow measurement - PEF?
The picflometric measurement in PEF steps, refers to the so-called peak value - the largest, even temporary, expiratory flow in a unit of time. The result is given in liters of air flowing through the bronchial tree in 1 minute. This measure is referred to as a PEF unit or a PEF grade. (Although the device takes only a fraction of a second to register this parameter). The thing is, this test accurately measures the degree of bronchoconstriction and precisely refers to the decreasing airflow rate through the bronchi. In a word, a low PEF value for a given patient (highly in minus deviating from its PEF value) indicates a serious medical condition. The decrease in PEF values while monitoring the patient's asthma also indicates a deterioration in the course of the disease.
What are the PEF parameters that are indicative of health and what about the disease?
The correct value of the peak airflow - PEF in a healthy adult (the so-called value due) should be from about 400 to 600 liters per minute. In patients with asthma, a frequent result of the peak flowmeter measurement is PEF = 200 - 400 liters per minute. In severe asthma attacks, this value may fall to 100 liters per minute or less.
Flow chart diagram
We can see in the diagram of the device a visible scale from 50-to 800 liters per minute used to measure the peak (highest) speed of expiration from the lungs
Are there any personal features that differentiate PEF values in healthy people?
When making PEF measurements, a number of physiological factors affecting the measurement should be taken into account. The value of PEF depends on such personal characteristics as primarily sex, age and height.
More details below in PEF STANDARDS
How does sex affect the right PEFs in healthy people?
Gender significantly differentiates PEF values. For example, a healthy woman with a height of 180 cm, at the age of 35 (then the highest physiologically relevant PEF parameters) - she achieves the PEF value = 428 l / min. A man of this height and the same age - he achieves the required PEF index of up to 571 l / min. As you can see, the difference is very large.
How does the increase differentiate the right PEFs in healthy people?
PEF values are dependent on the patient's height. The high person has higher physiological PEF values than the low person. However, significant differences in height do not translate into very large differences in PEF values. For example, two (35 years old) - a 160 cm tall person - should achieve the right PEF value = 538 l / min, while for a 180 cm increase - PEF value = 571
More details below in PEF STANDARDS
How does age differentiate PEFs in healthy people?
Age is an important factor differentiating the peak airflow (PEF). However, the impact of this variable is complex. For example, in women of the same height (eg 160 cm), a twenty-year-old should reach the right PEF value = 393 l / min. Because in young women PEF values are still growing for some time - only as a 30-year-old woman reaches its apogee PEF = 409 l / min. Later, PEF decreases over the years to reach the value of = 337 l / min at the age of 70. Similarly, physiological values of PEF change during puberty and aging in men. For example, a man with a height of 160 cm, as a twenty-year-old should achieve due PEF = 492 l / min; as a 35-year-old (in the male apogee of the value of this parameter), he should have PEF = 538 l / min; and at the age of 70, its PEF value decreases to 452 l / min.
