Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41704198›Full record

ArticlePediatric pulmonology2026

Pulmonary Function Testing Using Tidal Breath Flow-Volume Loops in Healthy Children 1-24 Months of Age in Semi-Rural Nepal: Feasibility Study.

Charl Verwey, Srijana Dongol, Renu Shahi, Md Shafiqul Islam, Nishan Katuwal, Markus Haug, Trude Flo, Rajeev Shrestha, Kari Risnes

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Article in Pediatric pulmonology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Charl VerweyFaculty of Health Sciences, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Srijana DongolDepartment of Pediatrics, Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital, Dhulikhel, Nepal.
Renu ShahiDepartment of Pediatrics, Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital, Dhulikhel, Nepal.
Md Shafiqul IslamProjahnmo Research Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Nishan KatuwalCenter for Infectious Disease Research and Surveillance, Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital, Dhulikhel, Nepal.
Markus HaugDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Trude FloDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Rajeev ShresthaCenter for Infectious Disease Research and Surveillance, Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital, Dhulikhel, Nepal.
Kari RisnesDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.

Funding

Norges Forskningsråd
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectiveEarly-life insults affect lung function trajectories throughout life. In Nepal there is a high burden of disease from lower respiratory tract infections, and high levels of exposure to household and environmental pollution. To enable assessment of these factors on lung development we aimed to assess the feasibility of establishing a pulmonary function laboratory for tidal breath flow-volume loops (TBFVL) in infants and children in Dhulikhel, Nepal.

methodsA pulmonary function laboratory was established and TBFVL testing, meeting international quality standards, were performed on healthy children 1-24 months of age, between October 2024 and May 2025, in Dhulikhel, Nepal. Results were interpreted by local staff after initial training and ongoing oversight by international experts. TBFVL indices with coefficient of variation (CoV) were reported and inter-interpreter level of agreement evaluated using Bland-Altman plots.

resultsEighty-six children were included, of which 80 (93%) had successful tests. Fifty-five (69%) 0- <4 months, 12 (15%) 4- < 12 months and 13 (16%) 12-24 months of age. The CoV ranged from 4.7 (4.4, 5.2) for tidal volume to 19.5 (15.8, 24.1) for the ratio of the proportion of time to reach peak tidal expiratory flow to total expiratory time (T

conclusionEstablishing a pulmonary function laboratory and achieving high-quality TBFVL measurements with expert-level interpretation is feasible in Nepal and contributes to the knowledge of normal pulmonary function values in Nepali children.

Indexed as

LungRespiratory Function TestsTidal VolumeChild, PreschoolFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMaleNepalRural Populationchildrendeterminants of lung healthpulmonary function testingtidal breath flow‐volume loops

Identifiers

PMID41704198
PMCPMC12914365

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