PEFR monitoring in asthma
Last reviewed 01/2018
The measurement of peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) three to four times per day allows the diagnosis and assessment of the severity of asthma.
Untreated asthma is characterised by:
- greater than 10% diurnal variability in PEFR
- lowest values in the morning
A diagnostic trial of oral corticosteroids should show an upward trend in the mean PEFR in asthma.