The TGlittre-P proved to be a valid and reliable assessment of the functional capacity of healthy children aged 6 to 14 years.

Background: There is currently no consensus on the indication and benefits of breathing exercises for the prevention of postoperative

BACKGROUND:The impulse oscillometry system is a noninvasive method of evaluating respiratory mechanics that is being increasingly used in the pediatric population. To date, no reference equations have been developed for healthy Brazilian children and adolescents. The purpose of the study was to determine the reference equations for impulse oscillometry system parameters in healthy children and adolescents. METHODS: We undertook an observational cross-sectional analytical study with healthy students age 6 -14 y from educational institutions in the Greater Florianópolis area. Biometric data were evaluated (weight, height, body mass index, and body surface area) as predictors and for sample characterization. All participants were submitted to evaluation of respiratory mechanics using an oscillometry system following American Thoracic Society standards. Three tests were recorded, with data acquisition for >20 s. For data normality verification, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was applied, and Pearson's correlation test identified the relationship between the predicted values of height, age, and weight and the oscillometric variables of resistance at 5 and 20 Hz reactance; respiratory impedance at 5 Hz resonant frequency; and reactance area. Models were developed using simple linear regression and multiple analyses. RESULTS: After the recruitment of 864 children, 123 subjects with an average age of 10.0 ؎ 2.4 y for boys and 9.9 ؎ 2.4 y for girls (P ‫؍‬ .94) were considered for final analysis. Correlations were identified between the dependent and predictor oscillometric variables, with height identified as having the greatest predictive power in the equations developed for boys in all oscillometric parameters, with a mean adjusted R 2 of 46.51%. Age had greater influence on resonant frequency (adjusted R 2 ‫؍‬ 40.1%) and reactance area (adjusted R 2 ‫؍‬ 48.8%) for girls. CONCLUSIONS: Reference equations were developed for males and females, and height was the most influential predictor variable for most impulse oscillometry system parameters in the population studied.

Chroni c and persistent mouth or oral breathing (OB) has been associated with postural changes.Although posture changes in OB causes decreased respiratory muscle strength, reduced chest expansion and impaired pulmonary ventilation with consequences in the exercise capacity, few studies have verified all these assumptions.Objective: To evaluate exercise tolerance, respiratory muscle strength and body posture in oral breathing (OB) compared with nasal breathing (NB) children. Material and method:A cross-sectional contemporary cohort study that included OB and NB children aged 8-11 years old. Children with obesity, asthma, chronic respiratory diseases, neurological and orthopedic disorders, and cardiac conditions were excluded. All participants underwent a postural assessment, maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), the six-minute walk test (6MWT), and otorhinolaryngologic evaluation. Conclusion: OB children had cervical spine postural changes and decreased respiratory muscle strength compared with NB. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2011;77(5):656-62. ORIGINAL ARTICLE BJORL

Objective: To investigate associations between mouth breathing (MBr), nose breathing (NBr) and body posture classification and clinical variables in children and adolescents, by comparing patients with mouth breathing syndrome with a control group of similar age. Methods:This was an observational, analytical, controlled, crosssectional study conducted at a university hospital. Children aged 5 years or more were recruited to one of two groups: healthy controls (NBr) or an MBr group. The MBr group comprised patients with a diagnosis of mouth breathing syndrome confirmed by clinical examination by a physician plus nasal endoscopy. The control group comprised healthy volunteers of the same age, with NBr confirmed by medical examination. All participants underwent postural assessment. Data were analyzed using the MannWhitney nonparametric test, the chi-square test and Fisher's exact test, to a significance level of 0.05%. Results:A total of 306 MBr and 124 NBr were enrolled. Mouth breathers were more likely to be male (p = 0.0002), have more frequent and more severe nasal obstruction and larger tonsils (p = 0.0001) than NBr. Mouth breathers also exhibited higher incidence rates of allergic rhinitis (p = 0.0001), of thoracic respiratory pattern (p = 0.0001), high-arched palate (p = 0.0001) and unfavorable postural classifications (p = 0.0001) with relation to the control group. Postural classification scores were directly proportional to nasal obstruction (p = 0.0001) and male sex (p = 0.0008).Conclusions: Postural problems were significantly more common among children in the group with mouth breathing syndrome, highlighting the need for early interdisciplinary treatment of this syndrome. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2011;87(4):357-363:Mouth breathing, child, adenoids, tonsils, rhinitis, prevalence. ResumoObjetivo: Verificar a associação do tipo respiratório oral (RO) e nasal (RN) e da classificação da postura corporal em variáveis clínicas de crianças e adolescentes com a síndrome do respirador oral, em relação a um grupo-controle de mesma faixa etária.Métodos: Estudo analítico do tipo observacional e transversal, com grupo-controle, realizado em hospital universitário. Foram incluídas crianças maiores de 5 anos, distribuídas em dois grupos: controle saudável (RN) e grupo RO. O grupo RO incluiu pacientes com diagnóstico de síndrome do respirador oral confirmado por exame clínico médico e nasofibroscopia. Participaram do grupo-controle voluntários saudá-veis da mesma faixa etária, cujo tipo RN foi confirmado por avaliação médica. Todos os participantes foram submetidos à avaliação postural. Para análise dos dados, foram utilizados os testes: não paramétrico de Mann-Whitney, qui-quadrado e exato de Fisher, considerando-se nível de significância de 0,05%. Artigo originAl 0021-7557/11/87- Não foram declarados conflitos de interesse associados à publicação deste artigo.Como citar este artigo: Conti PB, Sakano E, Ribeiro MA, Schivinski CI, Ribeiro JD. Assessment of the body posture of mouth-breathing children and adolescents.