Maximal Respiratory Pressures of Healthy Children

In Brief Purpose: To compare maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (PImax and PEmax, respectively) obtained in Brazilian children who are healthy with reference and predicted values from previous studies. Methods: Respiratory muscle strength of 144 children (63 boys), aged 7 to 11 years, was assessed. A digital manovacuometer was used to measure PImax and PEmax from residual volume and total lung capacity, respectively. Children were assessed in the sitting position while wearing a nose clip. Results: Mean values of PImax for boys and girls were 81.6 ± 20.2 and 66.1 ± 19.5 cmH2O, respectively. Mean values of PEmax in boys and girls were 95.6 ± 21.1 and 78.9 ± 19.7 cmH2O, respectively. Conclusions: Published reference values demonstrated a wide diversity across age groups studied, and published equations were not successful in predicting maximal respiratory pressures; thus, the assessment of respiratory muscle strength of children should consider the minimization of ethnic and methodological differences. As reference values in the literature were quite variable and not predictive of Brazilian children's maximal respiratory pressures, the authors suggest assessment of respiratory muscle strength of children should consider the minimization of ethnic and methodological differences.