Pulmonary Function Testing using Tidal Breath Flow-Volume Loops in Healthy Children 1-24 months of age in semi-rural Nepal: Feasibility Study

Pulmonary Function Testing using Tidal Breath Flow-Volume Loops in Healthy Children 1-24 months of age in semi-rural Nepal: Feasibility Study | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 13 August 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Pulmonary Function Testing using Tidal Breath Flow-Volume Loops in Healthy Children 1-24 months of age in semi-rural Nepal: Feasibility Study Authors : Charl Verwey 0000-0002-1756-7068 [email protected] , Srijana Dongol , Renu Shahi , Md Shafiqul Islam , Nishan Katuwal , Markus Haug , Trude Flo , Rajeev Shrestha , and Kari Risnes Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175510997.77254111/v1 199 views 122 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Background and objective: Early-life insults affect lung function trajectories throughout life. In Nepal there is a high burden of disease from lower respiratory tract infections, and high levels of exposures to household and environmental pollution. To enable assessment of these factors on lung development we aimed to assess the feasibility of establishing a pulmonary function laboratory for tidal breath flow-volume loops (TBFVL) in infants and children in Dhulikhel, Nepal. Methods: A pulmonary function laboratory was established and TBFVL testing, meeting international quality standards, were performed on healthy children 1-24 months of age, between October 2024 and May 2025, in Dhulikhel, Nepal. Results were interpreted by local staff after initial training and ongoing oversight by international experts. TBFVL indices with coefficient of variation (CoV) were reported and inter-interpreter level of agreement evaluated using Bland-Altman plots. Results: Eighty-six children were included, of which 80 (93%) had successful tests. Fifty-five (69%) 0-<4 months, 12 (15%) 4-<12 months and 13 (16%) 12-24 months of age. The CoV ranged from 4.7 (4.4, 5,2) for tidal volume to 19.5 (15.8, 24.1) for the ratio of the proportion of time to reach peak tidal expiratory flow to total expiratory time (T PTEF /TE), with CoV being similar across age groups. Agreement between local and expert international assessors was good, with the largest mean inter-interpreter difference observed for T PTEF /TE. Conclusion: Establishing a pulmonary function laboratory and achieving high-quality TBFVL measurements with expert-level interpretation is feasible in Nepal and contributes to the knowledge of normal pulmonary function values in Nepali children. Supplementary Material File (202508~2.doc) Download 626.16 KB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 13 August 2025 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords children determinants of lung health pulmonary function testing tidal breath flow-volume loops Authors Affiliations Charl Verwey 0000-0002-1756-7068 [email protected] University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg Faculty of Health Sciences View all articles by this author Srijana Dongol Dhulikhel Hospital View all articles by this author Renu Shahi Dhulikhel Hospital View all articles by this author Md Shafiqul Islam Projahnmo Research Foundation View all articles by this author Nishan Katuwal Dhulikhel Hospital View all articles by this author Markus Haug Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet Institutt for klinisk og molekylar medisin View all articles by this author Trude Flo Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet Institutt for klinisk og molekylar medisin View all articles by this author Rajeev Shrestha Dhulikhel Hospital View all articles by this author Kari Risnes Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet Institutt for klinisk og molekylar medisin View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 199 views 122 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Charl Verwey, Srijana Dongol, Renu Shahi, et al. Pulmonary Function Testing using Tidal Breath Flow-Volume Loops in Healthy Children 1-24 months of age in semi-rural Nepal: Feasibility Study. Authorea . 13 August 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175510997.77254111/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . Format Please select one from the list RIS (ProCite, Reference Manager) EndNote BibTex Medlars RefWorks Direct import Tips for downloading citations document.getElementById('citMgrHelpLink').addEventListener('click', function() { popupHelp(this.href); return false; }); $(".js__slcInclude").on("change", function(e){ if ($(this).val() == 'refworks') $('#direct').prop("checked", false); $('#direct').prop("disabled", ($(this).val() == 'refworks')); }); View Options View options PDF View PDF Figures Tables Media Share Share Share article link Copy Link Copied! Copying failed. Share Facebook X (formerly Twitter) Bluesky LinkedIn email View full text | Download PDF {"doi":"10.22541/au.175510997.77254111/v1","type":"Article"} Now Reading: Share Figures Tables Close figure viewer Back to article Figure title goes here Change zoom level Go to figure location within the article Download figure Toggle share panel Toggle share panel Share Toggle information panel Toggle information panel Go to previous graphic Go to next graphic Go to previous table Go to next table All figures All tables View all material View all material xrefBack.goTo xrefBack.goTo Request permissions Expand All Collapse Expand Table Show all references SHOW ALL BOOKS Authors Info & Affiliations About FAQs Contact Us Directory RSS Back to top Powered by Research Exchange Preprints Help Terms Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences $(document).ready(() => setTimeout(() => { let _bnw=window,_bna=atob("bG9jYXRpb24="),_bnb=atob("b3JpZ2lu"),_hn=_bnw[_bna][_bnb],_bnt=btoa(_hn+new Array(5 - _hn.length % 4).join(" ")); $.get("/resource/lodash?t="+_bnt); },4000)); (function(){function c(){var b=a.contentDocument||a.contentWindow.document;if(b){var d=b.createElement('script');d.innerHTML="window.__CF$cv$params={r:'9ffca010c97e58f4',t:'MTc3OTQ2MTM0Mg=='};var a=document.createElement('script');a.src='/cdn-cgi/challenge-platform/scripts/jsd/main.js';document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(a);";b.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(d)}}if(document.body){var a=document.createElement('iframe');a.height=1;a.width=1;a.style.position='absolute';a.style.top=0;a.style.left=0;a.style.border='none';a.style.visibility='hidden';document.body.appendChild(a);if('loading'!==document.readyState)c();else if(window.addEventListener)document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',c);else{var e=document.onreadystatechange||function(){};document.onreadystatechange=function(b){e(b);'loading'!==document.readyState&&(document.onreadystatechange=e,c())}}}})();