British journal of diseases of the chest
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Case Reports
Assessment of proximal airway obstruction in children by analysis of flow-volume loops.
The usefulness of maximal expiratory and inspiratory flow-volume (F-V) loops was assessed in ten children with clinical evidence of tracheal or laryngeal obstruction. Normal values from 514 healthy children are presented. ⋯ F-V loop analysis is a valuable technique in the assessment of the child with proximal airway obstruction. Unlike endoscopic and radiological investigation, it measures the functional rather than the anatomical degree of obstruction, and provides a simple non-invasive way of monitoring the response to treatment.