Peak expiratory flow (PEF)
The PEFR is the maximum rate of airflow that can be achieved during a sudden forced expiration form a position of full inspiration.
The good points about PEFR are:
- the PEFR reflects the calibre of the airways and is most useful for day-to-day monitoring of asthma
- the PEFR device is cheap and convenient
The bad points about PEFR are that the value depends on:
- effort
- technique
Also PEFR is a measure of airflow and cannot detect restrictive ventilatory defects, such as those caused by pulmonary fibrosis, since these reduce lung volume but do not affect airflow (1).
Reference:
- The Practitioner 2005; 249:180-88.
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