Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary function test is the important method of evaluating the risk before scoliosis correction. In search of a convenient and effective method to estimate pulmonary function is the urgent demand of choosing surgical time and evaluating the therapeutic efficacy for scoliosis in children.
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the pulmonary function changes of scoliosis children with bodyplethysmography.
METHODS: Thirty-one children with scoliosis and fifty healthy children were enrolled in the study. The parameters included tidal volume (VT), minute volume (MV), ratio of volume to peak expiratory flow (PEF) to total expiratory volume (VPTEF/VE), ratio of time to PEF to total expiratory time (tPTEF/tE), tidal PEF, as well as tidal expiratory flow (TEF) at 25%, 50% and 75% VT, respiratory rate (RR), function capacity (FRCp), and effective resistance (Reff).
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In comparison with the healthy group, FRCp was obviously decreased in scoliosis children (P < 0.01), Reff was increased significantly (P < 0.01), MV, tidal PEF and TEF at 75% VT were increased. FRCp and Reff were classical indexes of bodyplethysmography. Reff was significantly increased and FRCp was significantly decreased in scoliosis children. Bodyplethysmography can be used as an important method in measuring pulmonary function of underage children with scoliosis.