Correlation of 3 channel digital stethescope with pulmonary function tests in asthma

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that is characterized by recurrent bronchospasms. In long time periods, it can cause persistant airway changes. Asthma cause high mortality and annual costs, especially in of record patients. Pulmonar function tests are objective tests in the diagnosis of childhood asthma but cannot be done by children under 6 years, mental retardation and in whom cooperation is unavaible. Because of this, need of a new objective test come into question. For this purpose; a device analysing voice and calculating it?s amplitude and frequency called `3 Channel Digital Stethescope? (3CDS) had developed in connection with Biomedical Department of Gazi University. Thirty two asthma patient with attack and 30 healthy controls? breath sounds analized by 3CDS and simultaneous pulmonary function test done. A correlation between minimum amplitude of breath sounds and FEV1, PEF, MEF25-75 detected that is statistically meaningful (p<0.05). Difference between means of minimum amplitude values of patients and control group was also significant (p<0.05). Indicating that minımum amplitude values can be used to distinguish asthmatic patients from control group. During records, environmental sounds causing artefacts were detected. Further studies after adding a property to device that eliminates environmental sounds will be apropiate. As a result, 3CDS is a candidate for being an objective diagnostic tool especially for patients who cannot do pulmonary function tests. Beside this, usage of 3CDS as an objective test in the diagnosis of newborn respiratory diseases (wet lung, respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonar displasia,pneumonia), some metabolic conditions (hypoglysemia, hypocalcemia, kernicterus) and genetic diseaes (cri du cat syndrome) in which characteristic crying patterns present may be possible. Key words: Analysis, asthma, breath, sound, frequency, amplitude