The peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was studied in 20 matched pairs of children with homozygous sickle cell disease with either no episodes or six or more episodes of acute chest syndrome. The pairs were carefully matched for height and a highly significant reduction in PEFR was observed in children with multiple episodes of acute chest syndrome. Lateral and anteroposterior chest diameters and...

Measurement of peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) is required for effective asthma treatment, but ethnic differences affect the application of prediction equations for lung function. PEFR was measured in a representative sample of 1000 students in Nablus, Palestine. Predicted PEFR equations for Europeans and Iranians were applied to both males and females in age groups < 21 and > or = 21 years. T...

Plant or animal based material burned for cooking or heating (biofuels) can cause indoor air pollution. We studied the effect of exposure to biofuel and other types of fuel smoke on peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR) among rural Indian women. We conducted a community based cross-sectional study of 760 non-smoking women who cooked using one of four types of fuel: biofuel, kerosene, liquefied petr...

The existence and prevalence of late asthmatic responses to exercise in patients is uncertain. We investigated whether the late falls of peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) after exercise challenge were still significant after comparison with the corresponding clocktime PEFR on a control day. We examined 86 patients with reversible airflow limitation, 79 with asthma and 7 with chronic obstructive ...

BACKGROUND Tasks involved in traditional charcoal production expose workers to various levels of charcoal dust and wood smoke. This study aimed to identify specific tasks influencing lung function and respiratory symptoms. METHODS Interviews, direct observation, and task/symptom checklists were used to collect data from 50 charcoal-production workers on 3 nonwork days followed by 11 workdays....

Twelve patients fulfilling strict criteria for chronic obstructive bronchitis recorded serial peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR) five times daily for a two-week period. Despite a 9.2% improvement in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) with ipratropium bromide, and an 11.3% improvement with ipratropium bromide plus salbutamol, the inherent diurnal variation in PEFR while on no medicatio...

Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was measured in 300 healthy adult male and female staff and students of the University of Benin, Benin City, and the College of Education, Ekiadolor, near Benin. The variations of Peak Expiratory Flow Rate with respect to height (ht), weight (wt) and chest circumference (cc) were determined in these subjects. PEFR values fell within the middle to the lower limit...

Peak expiratory flow rates were measured in 124 normal elderly men (55-85 yr) using the Wright's peak flow meter. In the less than 60 yrs age group (n = 32; mean age 57.7 yr) the PEFR was 431 +/- 13 lpm, while for the group greater than 60 yr (mean age 69.0 +/- 6.0; n = 92), the PEFR value was 373 +/- 11 1pm. These values are similar to those reported in other Indian studies, suggesting that th...

Tobacco smoking in India has been increasing alarmingly. Smoking is a known risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers, especially, the lung cancer. Carbon monoxide from the smoke and nicotine both put a strain on the heart by making it work faster. They also increase your risk of blood clots. Other chemicals in cigarette smoke dama...

This study examined the utility of a peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) measurement in the differentiation of acute moderate to severe dyspnea secondary to congestive heart failure or chronic lung disease. A PEFR was determined in 41 episodes of acute respiratory distress in 40 patients prior to emergency department therapy. The mean PEFR +/- SD for the congestive heart failure group (n = 18) was...