Espirometria em pré-escolares

A espirometria e ainda pouco utilizada em pre-escolares em funcao de dificuldades de compreensao, de colaboracao e de coordenacao motora nessa fase da vida. Nesta revisao, discute-se a metodologia adotada na obtencao de curvas expiratorias maximas em pre-escolares, os estudos recentes que relatam a utilidade clinica e o sucesso na obtencao de espirometrias e, por fim, as publicacoes relativas a equacoes de referencia disponiveis. Existem padronizacoes internacionais recentes, mas nao ha padrao de normalidade de espirometria em pre-escolares brasileiros. Esta revisao podera incentivar futuros estudos nacionais para gerar valores de referencia no pais. (AU) Spirometry is still underused in preschool children because of the difficulties in comprehension, collaboration and coordination encountered among such children. In this review, we discuss the recommended methodology to obtain maximal expiratory curves in preschool children, recent reports of success rates and its clinical utility, as well as the available literaturerelated to reference values. International standards of normality have recently been established for spirometry in preschool children. However, there are no such standards for preschool children in Brazil. We hope that this review will prompt researchers to conduct further studies on this topic in Brazil. Such studies could define spirometry reference values for preschool children in Brazil. (AU)