Normal values for lung function tests in Sudanese children.
Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR) were determined in 400 healthy Sudanese school children aged between seven and 12 years aiming to establish normal values of lung indices. Both Wright's and Mini Wright's Peak Flow Metres (PFM) were used to measure the PEFR. The results were analysed with respect to age, weight, standing and sitting heights and the correlation coefficients (r) were calculated. Among the variable used, standing height (H) showed the best correlation with PEFR (r = 0.97) and with FEV1 (r = 0.90). The scatter diagrams produced by plotting the values of each of the lung function indices against age, weight, or height were comparable. Readings obtained using Mini Wright's PFM were higher than those of the wright's by a mean of 18.0 and 16.0 litres for boys and girls, respectively, Prediction formulae for mean points have been produced with age and standing heights as independent variables. The indices of Sudanese children are similar to those of the Libyan, higher than those of the Nigerian and Indian and lower than of the European and American children.