Aeração nasal e força muscular respiratória em crianças respiradoras orais

PURPOSE: to observe whether there is a relationship between respiratory muscle strength and degree of nasal aeration in Mouth Breathing children. METHODS: this is an observational and a comparative cross-sectional study. The subjects were 32 Mouth Breathing children with allergic rhinitis (21 boys and 11 girls) and 30 nasal breathing without allergic rhinitis (09 boys and 21 girls), 7-12 years, subjected to evaluation for nasal aeration with Altmann mirror and to evaluation of respiratory muscle strength with digital manovacuometer (MVD(r)30). RESULTS: there was no correlation between nasal aeration and respiratory muscle strength in each subgroup. There was difference comparing values ​​of maximal expiratory pressure between mouth breathers boys and girls (p=0,0064), and between nasal breathers boys and girls (p=0,0030). There was also difference maximal inspiratory pressure between mouth breathers boys and girls (p=0,0324), and between nasal breathers boys and girls (p=0,0210). CONCLUSION: it was not possible to confirm that there is a relationship between the degree of nasal aeration and respiratory muscle strength in Mouth Breathing.