Abstract
<b>Objective:</b> Multiple breath washout (MBW) reflects ventilation inhomogeneity in the lungs using either N<sub>2</sub> or SF<sub>6</sub>. The benefits of both methods are being discussed with regard to infants. We explored the variation of Lung Clearance Index (LCI) in a large group of infants and toddlers with cystic fibrosis (CF). <b>Method:</b> A cross-sectional and longitudinal study of N<sub>2</sub>- and SF<sub>6</sub>MBW (Exhalyzer®D) performed during sleep at same occasion at time of no respiratory symptoms. First test in 45 children with CF and 57 healthy children (HC) were used for cross-sectional comparison, while 21 of children with CF were tested at 2 to 8 occasions (82 pairs of N<sub>2</sub> and SF<sub>6</sub>MBW). <b>Results:</b> In CF, mean (SD) LCI<sub>N2</sub> and LCI<sub>SF6</sub> were 10.7 (1.6) and 7.9 (0.8), and in HC 9.0 (0.9) and 7.3 (0.5). The mean differences in LCI between N<sub>2</sub> and SF<sub>6</sub> were significant (p<0.0001) for both CF (2.8) and HC (1.7). The longitudinal (fig) changes in LCI (∆LCI) from one test occasion to the next (median 3.7 months apart) were more pronounced in N<sub>2</sub>MBW. The median (range) ∆LCI<sub>N2</sub> and ∆LCI<sub>SF6</sub> was -0.25 (-4.4 to 4.1) and -0.002 (-1.5 to 2.0). Opposite development in LCI<sub>N2</sub> and LCI<sub>SF6</sub> was noted in 27% of test intervals (fig). <b>Conclusion:</b> Our data favour the use of SF<sub>6</sub>MBW for infants and toddlers both cross-sectionally and longitudinally as N<sub>2</sub>MBW showed unreliable large spread and pronounced inter-test and between occasion differences for LCI.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call