Bodyplethysmography in healthy children. Measurement of intrathoracic gas volume and airway resistance.

In 94 healthy children, 6-15 years of age, the intrathoracic gas volume at resting expiratory level (TVG) was measured by means of a pressure corrected flow body plethysmograph and compared to functional residual capacity (FRC), measured simultaneously to TGV by means of the Helium dilution technique. TGV is 1.9% (+/- 11.7% SD) smaller than FRC, this difference being not significant (P greater than 0.05). A predicted equation for TGV (in ml) in correlation to standing height (in cm) is published in boys and girls. In 82 healthy children, 6-15 years of age, airway resistance (Raw) was measured plethysmographically. Raw(in cmH2O/1/s) is smaller, the larger is the child (r = -0.57; P less than 0.01), the residual standard deviation around the regression line is considerable (29%) and corresponding to the value, published previously for total pulmonary flow resistance. Difficulties in the evaluation of recorded resistance curves as well as calculation and lung volume correction of the Raw-value are discussed.