Skip to ContentSkip to Navigation
About us Latest news News News articles

Usefulness of home spirometry in childhood asthma

20 January 2010

PhD Ceremony: dhr. A.F.J. Brouwer, 16.15 uur, Academiegebouw, Broerstraat 5, Groningen

Dissertation: Usefulness of home spirometry in childhood asthma

Promotor(s): prof.dr. E.J. Duiverman, prof.dr. P.L.P. Brand

Faculty: Medical Sciences

Contact: via the UMCG, tel. 050-361 2200, e-mail: voorlichting bvl.umcg.nl

The studies in this thesis showed that the unreliability of written PEF diaries can be overcome by using home spirometry. However, the relationship of PEF and FEV1 variation to other indices of asthma severity (such as symptoms and lung function) was highly variable between patients, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. In addition, home spirometry had poor diagnostic value in identifying asthma in children with nonspecific respiratory symptoms such as cough and breathlessness. This thesis thus shows that the usefulness of home spirometry in childhood asthma, whether for monitoring disease severity or for making the diagnosis of asthma, is limited. We propose, therefore, to remove home spirometry as a diagnostic or monitoring tool for childhood asthma from asthma guidelines.

Last modified:13 March 2020 01.14 a.m.
Share this Facebook LinkedIn
View this page in: Nederlands

More news

  • 06 June 2025

    India-Netherlands Hydrogen Valley Fellowship Programme announced

    To coincide with World Environment Day, 5 June 2025, the Indian Department of Science and Technology and the University of Groningen yesterday announced a Hydrogen Valley Fellowship Programme Partnership, allowing talented Indian scholars working on...

  • 24 March 2025

    UG 28th in World's Most International Universities 2025 rankings

    The University of Groningen has been ranked 28th in the World's Most International Universities 2025 by Times Higher Education. With this, the UG leaves behind institutions such as MIT and Harvard. The 28th place marks an increase of five places: in...

  • 05 March 2025

    Women in Science

    The UG celebrates International Women’s Day with a special photo series: Women in Science.