Avaliação da função respiratória em crianças hígidas e com encefalopatia crônica não progressiva na infância

Abstract

Understanding and quantifying breathing patterns is extremely important, as it allows the analysis of efficiency or deficiency in energy demand. Spirometry has been playing a fundamental role in the clinical evaluation and management of lung diseases. Chronic non-progressive childhood encephalopathy (ECNPI) is one of the most common causes of physical disabilities in childhood and although respiratory complications are the most frequent causes of morbidity and mortality, there are few studies describing their respiratory function. Thus, the present study aimed to identify deficits and respiratory changes in pulmonary function tests in children with brain injury. The study was composed of two distinct groups, named as group A (control) and B (study group), recruited from a training center and two neurological rehabilitation centers in the city of Curitiba. We adopted as an inclusion factor, children of both sexes aged between 6-12 years (9.41 ± 1.47), eutrophic and with cognitive ability to perform the test, generating reproducible and acceptable spirometric graphics for analysis. At the end of the study, a sample of 20 patients in Group A and 21 in Group B were obtained, without exclusion among those evaluated. To check the respiratory function, a digital bidirectional spirometer, from Carefusion-Microloop, was used. Frequency, minimum, maximum, average and standard deviation analyzes were performed. To verify the distribution of the data, the Shapiro-Wilk test was used, and the Wilcoxon / Mann Whitney test hypothesis test was used to compare the values obtained in the two groups, and for this case it is expected to obtain p ≤ 0.05. The comparative analysis between the groups showed a significantly greater difference in the spirometric variables and height of the individuals in group A. When the intra-group comparison was carried out, group A showed a significant difference between genders, results opposite to those found in group B. In addition, the group B demonstrated significantly lower results in forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) in the comparisons between functional, topographic levels and functional gait pattern. It is believed that the objective has been achieved, not only proving and corroborating with previous studies that there is applicability and efficiency in the use of spirometry in patients with neurological disorders, but also that there is a need for specific parameters for this population.