Application of Interrupter Resistance and Spirometry Techniques in Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine: Feasibility and Concordance in Healthy Children Under 8 Years
<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Pediatric pulmonary medicine relies heavily on accurate lung function assessment, yet conventional spirometry presents challenges in children due to cooperation requirements. In this context, the interrupter resistance technique (Rint), a method used in...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Medicina |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/61/7/1265 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850071110134005760 |
|---|---|
| author | Rim Kammoun Farah Gargouri Asma Haddar Halil İbrahim Ceylan Valentina Stefanica Walid Feki Hatem Ghouili Ismail Dergaa Kaouthar Masmoudi |
| author_facet | Rim Kammoun Farah Gargouri Asma Haddar Halil İbrahim Ceylan Valentina Stefanica Walid Feki Hatem Ghouili Ismail Dergaa Kaouthar Masmoudi |
| author_sort | Rim Kammoun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background and Objectives</i>: Pediatric pulmonary medicine relies heavily on accurate lung function assessment, yet conventional spirometry presents challenges in children due to cooperation requirements. In this context, the interrupter resistance technique (Rint), a method used in pediatric pulmonology, offers a potentially more feasible alternative for evaluating airway resistance in younger populations. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and clinical concordance between expiratory interrupter resistance (Rint(e)) and standard spirometry in healthy children under 8 years, thus contributing to the development of age-appropriate pulmonary function testing in pediatric medicine. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 healthy children (aged 2–8 years) in Tunisia. Pulmonary measurements were taken using a handheld device for both Rint(e) and spirometry. Feasibility rates were calculated, and correlations between the techniques were statistically analyzed. <i>Results</i>: Rint(e) showed significantly higher feasibility than spirometry (82.5% vs. 34.5%, <i>p</i> < 0.05). While older children had higher success rates with both techniques, feasibility was independent of sex, BMI, and passive smoking exposure. Moderate negative correlations were found between log Rint(e) and FEV1/FVC indices. <i>Conclusions</i>: In pediatric pulmonary assessment, Rint(e) demonstrated higher feasibility than spirometry among young children, making it a practical complementary method in clinical settings. However, due to only moderate correlation with spirometric indices, Rint(e) cannot yet replace spirometry in diagnostic use. Its integration into pediatric medicine may help address the gap in functional respiratory evaluation for children under the age of 8. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ec29cf40ef2b413cb82f0f8c93ca8366 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj-art-ec29cf40ef2b413cb82f0f8c93ca83662025-08-20T02:47:22ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442025-07-01617126510.3390/medicina61071265Application of Interrupter Resistance and Spirometry Techniques in Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine: Feasibility and Concordance in Healthy Children Under 8 YearsRim Kammoun0Farah Gargouri1Asma Haddar2Halil İbrahim Ceylan3Valentina Stefanica4Walid Feki5Hatem Ghouili6Ismail Dergaa7Kaouthar Masmoudi8Physiology and Functional Exploration Service, University Hospital Habib Bourguiba, Sfax 3000, TunisiaPhysiology and Functional Exploration Service, University Hospital Habib Bourguiba, Sfax 3000, TunisiaPhysiology and Functional Exploration Service, University Hospital Habib Bourguiba, Sfax 3000, TunisiaPhysical Education of Sports Teaching Department, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Atatürk University, Erzurum 25240, TürkiyeDepartment of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sciences, Physical Education and Informatics, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, Pitesti University Center, 110040 Pitesti, RomaniaDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax 3029, TunisiaResearch Unit: Sports Science, Health and Movement, High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba, El Kef 8100, TunisiaHigh Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Ksar Said, University of Manouba, Manouba 2010, TunisiaDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax 3029, Tunisia<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Pediatric pulmonary medicine relies heavily on accurate lung function assessment, yet conventional spirometry presents challenges in children due to cooperation requirements. In this context, the interrupter resistance technique (Rint), a method used in pediatric pulmonology, offers a potentially more feasible alternative for evaluating airway resistance in younger populations. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and clinical concordance between expiratory interrupter resistance (Rint(e)) and standard spirometry in healthy children under 8 years, thus contributing to the development of age-appropriate pulmonary function testing in pediatric medicine. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 healthy children (aged 2–8 years) in Tunisia. Pulmonary measurements were taken using a handheld device for both Rint(e) and spirometry. Feasibility rates were calculated, and correlations between the techniques were statistically analyzed. <i>Results</i>: Rint(e) showed significantly higher feasibility than spirometry (82.5% vs. 34.5%, <i>p</i> < 0.05). While older children had higher success rates with both techniques, feasibility was independent of sex, BMI, and passive smoking exposure. Moderate negative correlations were found between log Rint(e) and FEV1/FVC indices. <i>Conclusions</i>: In pediatric pulmonary assessment, Rint(e) demonstrated higher feasibility than spirometry among young children, making it a practical complementary method in clinical settings. However, due to only moderate correlation with spirometric indices, Rint(e) cannot yet replace spirometry in diagnostic use. Its integration into pediatric medicine may help address the gap in functional respiratory evaluation for children under the age of 8.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/61/7/1265airway resistancecorrelationlung functionpreschoolpulmonary testingrespiratory assessment |
| spellingShingle | Rim Kammoun Farah Gargouri Asma Haddar Halil İbrahim Ceylan Valentina Stefanica Walid Feki Hatem Ghouili Ismail Dergaa Kaouthar Masmoudi Application of Interrupter Resistance and Spirometry Techniques in Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine: Feasibility and Concordance in Healthy Children Under 8 Years Medicina airway resistance correlation lung function preschool pulmonary testing respiratory assessment |
| title | Application of Interrupter Resistance and Spirometry Techniques in Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine: Feasibility and Concordance in Healthy Children Under 8 Years |
| title_full | Application of Interrupter Resistance and Spirometry Techniques in Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine: Feasibility and Concordance in Healthy Children Under 8 Years |
| title_fullStr | Application of Interrupter Resistance and Spirometry Techniques in Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine: Feasibility and Concordance in Healthy Children Under 8 Years |
| title_full_unstemmed | Application of Interrupter Resistance and Spirometry Techniques in Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine: Feasibility and Concordance in Healthy Children Under 8 Years |
| title_short | Application of Interrupter Resistance and Spirometry Techniques in Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine: Feasibility and Concordance in Healthy Children Under 8 Years |
| title_sort | application of interrupter resistance and spirometry techniques in pediatric pulmonary medicine feasibility and concordance in healthy children under 8 years |
| topic | airway resistance correlation lung function preschool pulmonary testing respiratory assessment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/61/7/1265 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rimkammoun applicationofinterrupterresistanceandspirometrytechniquesinpediatricpulmonarymedicinefeasibilityandconcordanceinhealthychildrenunder8years AT farahgargouri applicationofinterrupterresistanceandspirometrytechniquesinpediatricpulmonarymedicinefeasibilityandconcordanceinhealthychildrenunder8years AT asmahaddar applicationofinterrupterresistanceandspirometrytechniquesinpediatricpulmonarymedicinefeasibilityandconcordanceinhealthychildrenunder8years AT halilibrahimceylan applicationofinterrupterresistanceandspirometrytechniquesinpediatricpulmonarymedicinefeasibilityandconcordanceinhealthychildrenunder8years AT valentinastefanica applicationofinterrupterresistanceandspirometrytechniquesinpediatricpulmonarymedicinefeasibilityandconcordanceinhealthychildrenunder8years AT walidfeki applicationofinterrupterresistanceandspirometrytechniquesinpediatricpulmonarymedicinefeasibilityandconcordanceinhealthychildrenunder8years AT hatemghouili applicationofinterrupterresistanceandspirometrytechniquesinpediatricpulmonarymedicinefeasibilityandconcordanceinhealthychildrenunder8years AT ismaildergaa applicationofinterrupterresistanceandspirometrytechniquesinpediatricpulmonarymedicinefeasibilityandconcordanceinhealthychildrenunder8years AT kaoutharmasmoudi applicationofinterrupterresistanceandspirometrytechniquesinpediatricpulmonarymedicinefeasibilityandconcordanceinhealthychildrenunder8years |