Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 2006; 50 (1) : 73–78 SHORT COMMUNICATION A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION INTO MAXIMAL EXPIRATORY PRESSURES IN SOME VILLAGE CHILDREN M. J. AGRAWAL, R. DESHPANDE, D. JAJU, S. RAJE, M. B. DIKSHIT* AND S. MANDKE Department of Physiology, MIMER Medical College, Talegaon Dabhade, Dist. Pune – 410 507 ( Received on June 27, 2005 ) Abstract : A clinical mercury sphygmomanometer was used to measure Maximal Expiratory Pressure (MEP) in 29 boys (mean age 8 ± 1.4 yr) and 21 girls (mean age 7.6 ± 1.5 yr) of a village in interior Maharashtra. The values of 70.6 ± 13.4 mmHg SD for the boys and 61.9 ± 18.9 mmHg for the girls were quite comparable to the respiratory pressures reported elsewhere in literature, even though the subjects were apparently poorly nourished. There was no statistical difference between the MEPs of boys and girls. The MEP was positively and significantly (P<0.01) correlated to height (r=0.51) and weight (r=0.05) in the boys. The MEP denoting respiratory muscle strength also correlated positively with handgrip power used to represent non-respiratory muscle strength (r=0.34) (P>0.05). The simple, reproducible method of measuring MEP as described may be useful for measuring this important physiological parameter at the bedside in children whose respiratory muscle function needs to be evaluated. Key words : BMI hand grip max respiratory effort respiratory pressures various studies vary considerably because of wide age range of subjects, different types of instruments used to make the measurements (4, 5), and the possible differences in the method used for making the measurements. Poor nourishment has been associated with generation of low respiratory pressures (6). During a field health survey exercise in *Corresponding Author : Prof. Mohan B. Dikshit, 48 Shivaji Housing Society, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune – 411 016; E-mail : mohandikshit@hotmail.com; Tele : (020) 25657307. INTRODUCTION Respiratory pressure measurements have been used as indicators of respiratory muscle strength in adults and in children (1). The Maximum Expiratory Pressure (MEP) has been correlated with height, weight, BMI, age, sex, degree of fitness and non- respiratory muscle strength (1, 2, 3), The values of this parameter as reported in the