Pediatric lung function testing during a pandemic: An international perspective

N Beydon; L Gochicoa; M J Jones; L C Lands; E Lombardi; M Rosenfeld; P D Sly; D J Weiner; O Yilmaz

doi:10.1016/j.prrv.2020.10.001

Pediatric lung function testing during a pandemic: An international perspective

Paediatr Respir Rev. 2020 Nov:36:106-108. doi: 10.1016/j.prrv.2020.10.001. Epub 2020 Oct 11.

Authors

N Beydon¹, L Gochicoa², M J Jones³, L C Lands⁴, E Lombardi⁵, M Rosenfeld⁶, P D Sly⁷, D J Weiner⁸, O Yilmaz⁹

Affiliations

¹ Unité Fonctionnelle de Physiologie-Explorations Fonctionnelles Respiratoires, AP-HP, Hôpital Armand-Trousseau, Paris, France.
² National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Dept. of Pulmonary Physiology, Mexico City, Mexico. Electronic address: drgochis@gmail.com.
³ School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Brazil.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
⁵ Pediatric Pulmonary Unit, Meyer Children's Hospital, Florence, Italy.
⁶ Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States.
⁷ Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁸ UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Pittsburgh, United States.
⁹ Celal Bayar University Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonology, Manisa, Turkey. Electronic address: oyilmaz_76@hotmail.com.

Abstract

The COVID pandemic has passed its first peak for now in many countries while some are still on the rise, with some facing a second wave of cases. Precautions and infection control measures for both pediatric and adult pulmonary function testing (PFT) have been a topic of debate during the pandemic. Many centers had to close their PFT laboratories during the initial periods of the pandemic and are reopening as the numbers of new cases are decreasing. This review aims to summarize different practices of PFT laboratory management in different countries, including patient appointments, personal protective equipment, testing room requirements and telemedicine during and immediately following the COVID pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; Pandemic; Pediatric pulmonary function testing.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Air Filters
Appointments and Schedules
COVID-19 / prevention & control*
COVID-19 / transmission
Child
Delivery of Health Care / methods*
Delivery of Health Care / organization & administration
Environment, Controlled*
Humans
Internationality
Parents
Pediatrics
Personal Protective Equipment*
Physical Distancing
Pulmonary Medicine
Respiratory Function Tests / methods*
Telemedicine
Ventilation
Waiting Rooms