EFFECT OF ANESTHESIA ON LUNG-FUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA

Spirometry was performed before operation, soon after recovery (''earl y'') and the day alter (''late'') general anaesthesia for elective sur gery in 20 children with asthma and 20 marched children without asthma . Pulse oximetry was recorded on the first postoperative night. The me an early peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) decreased in the asthmatics by 19.91 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 10.84-28.97)% and in the contr ols by 19.25 (10.70-27.80)%. The mean early FEV(1) decreased in the as thmatics by 16.02 (9.29-22.75)% and in the controls by 11.03 (2.86-19. 19)%. The mean late decrease from baseline PEFR for the asthmatics was 18.55 (11.23-25.87)% bur only 14.93 (7.89-21.97)% for the controls. T he mean late FEV, was 8.2 (0.83-15.56)% below baseline in the asthmati cs but only 6.82(-0.79 to 14.42)% in the controls. There were no diffe rences in overnight pulse oximetry. We conclude that healthy children exhibited a decrease in FEV(1) and PEFR after general anaesthesia for elective surgery, but this decline did not appear to be any greater in well controlled asthmatic children compared with children who did not have asthma.