THE ASTHMA UK COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE TO DEVELOP RELIABLE REFERENCE RANGES FOR LUNG FUNCTION IN YOUNG CHILDREN

 The Asthma UK Collaborative initiative was established to collate lung function data from healthy young children for three techniques: Spirometry, Interrupter Resistance Technique and Specific Airway Resistance. The study aimed to collating reference data from young children (aged 3-7 years) and produce prediction equations that not only span the preschool years, but are also linked to established reference equations for older children and adults.  With more appropriate reference equations for preschool aged children, it may be possible to better distinguish between the effects of normal growth and development from that of disease. It is envisaged that these new equations will help doctors diagnose, assess and monitor disease in young children, and hopefully mean that early lung disease can be detected sooner and monitored more reliably.

Objectives

• To develop and pilot protocols for international exchange of lung function data
• To develop prediction equations for spirometry, interrupter technique and specific airway resistance 
• To utilize the prediction equations in longitudinal comparisons of healthy children and those with cystic fibrosis and asthma
• To disseminate prediction equations by: presenting at National and International Conferences, publishing results in scientific journals and making equations available to manufacturers and laboratories