Normal peak expiratory flow values in Malagasy children of Bantu origin

<bold>BACKGROUND:</bold> The peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) is a simple & cheap way to assess airflow limitation in asthma but there is no normative data in black-African children. Are PEFR values comparable in healthy African and Caucasian children? <bold>METHODS:</bold> PEFR (Mini-Wright, Clement-Clark LTD) was cross-sectionally measured in children of Bantu origin (black African) from northern Madagascar, aged 7-19 years. Subjects with chronic lung disease or poor-quality tests were excluded. Z-scores were calculated from published reference equations in Caucasian children (<italic>Wille et al</italic>, Acta Paediatr. 1989 Jul;78(4):544-8), to allow for comparison. <bold>RESULTS:</bold> A total of 390 children were enrolled, with 311 included in the final analysis (mean ±SD age 13 ±3, boys n. 125, 40%). Figure 1 shows mean predicted PEFR regression curves in Caucasian vs Malagasy children. Whereas Figure 2 provides mean predicted PEFR values in Malagasy children by sex, age and height. <fig><object-id>erj;64/suppl_68/PA4935/F1</object-id><object-id>F1</object-id><object-id>F1</object-id><graphic></graphic></fig> <fig><object-id>erj;64/suppl_68/PA4935/F2</object-id><object-id>F2</object-id><object-id>F2</object-id><graphic></graphic></fig> <bold>CONCLUSION:</bold> Normal PEFR values were markedly lower in Malagasy children of Bantu origin compared to their Caucasian peers. We provide mean predicted values that can be used when performing PEFR in black African children in sub-Saharan Africa.