Objective: to verify the role of peak expiratory flow, measured through portable meters, as an alternative test to assess pulmonary disease in cystic fibrosis. Methods: forty-nine patients aged five to 19 years old in stable health condition and able to perform the peak expiratory flow maneuver were included. In the same visit, Shwachman-Kulczycki score was recorded. Linear regression was used to assess the correlation between the Shwachman-Kulczycki score and the peak expiratory flow rate. A P value of 0.05 was considered to be significant.Results: a slight, but statistically significant correlation between absolute and percent values for this functional parameter and the Shwachman-Kulczycki score (r = 0.31, P = 0.02 and r = 0.30, P = 0.03, respectively) was found. Conclusions: although this correlation was statistically significant, these findings are not clinically relevant, i.e., the lung involvement in this disease should be assessed by classic pulmonary function tests, such as spirometry.
peak expiratory flow rate; cystic fibrosis
