科研之友
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摘要
objectives: to develop a photogrammetric method capable of identifying increases in anteroposterior chest diameters suggestive of pulmonary hyperinflation, and to test it with both asthmatic and asthma-free children. methods: two distinct study designs were used to achieve these two objectives. the first was a descriptive analysis of diameters measured at the height of the axilla and of the xiphoid on digital images of 56 children aged 8 to 12 years photographed in the orthostatic position. the second was a case-control study of (a) 19 asthmatic children in treatment for at least 12 months; and (b) 37 children free from asthma with no prior history of complaints of respiratory/allergic disease. diameters were measured on images of the front and left side views using coreldrawˋ, and the ratio between the front and side diameters was calculated for the axillary and xiphoid measurements, providing the diameter ratios. diameter ratios close to or greater than 1 represent geometry tending towards a cylindrical shape, typical of hyperinflation on radiographs. results: analysis with the t test for independent samples revealed a mean diameter ratio at the sternum that was significantly greater in the group of asthmatic children (p %26lt; 0.01) than the mean for the whole sample and also than the mean for the children without asthma. conclusions: despite the existence of disagreement on the best instruments, methods and times for identifying hyperinflation, results indicate that a system using diameter ratios obtained by photogrammetry is a promising tool for the identification of a kinesiopathological manifestation that is known to determine air entrapment in asthma patients. research that combines clinical data with longitudinal intrapatient follow-up will be necessary to establish the strength of the evidence found in this study.
