Peak flow meter revisited

Abstract

Asthma is a common condition encountered in primary care. In the Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the USA recommends either peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements or symptoms as part of the written action plan for asthma monitoring. The Institute also recommends long-term daily peak flow monitoring for patients with moderate to severe persistent asthma. These recommendations are based on randomized controlled trials that do not have large sample size. Other international guidelines also give similar recommendations in spite of greater emphasis on spirometry.

哮喘是基層醫療常見疾病。美國國家心肺及血液研究所的「診斷和治理指引」建議用最大呼氣流速值(PEF)或症狀作為監測哮喘病情的一部份。該研究所亦建議為中度至嚴重程度患者以每日最大呼氣流速作長期監測。這些建議都是基於實証醫學研究的結果。其他國際組織亦有類似的指引，雖然會較著重肺量的測量。