Female High Peak Flow

[Chui]

My peak flow (female aged 64) is 550, well within the male range when the charts say I should be at around 390. I'm curious as to why this would be and what are the implications, good bad or indifferent. I have only recently started using a peak flow meter due to a tight chest and breathlessness. Goodness knows what it will be like when I'm healthy! Yes I am using it correctly, my partner has used one since he was a child and has supervised me.

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

There are many many factors that can affect peak flow. Singing, playing wind instruments, high performance sports, endurance sports (cycling running swimming etc) will all probably increase your best score (esp of you did them as a child or have done them for years). As will chest shape (ie I have a large rib cage thus larger lung capacity than if I had a smaller cage), a history of smoking/passive smoking etc etc, as well as things like ethnicity, weight and which country you live in etc. The predicted it literally the average score in that age/height/gender of a population, however many years ago, only factoring in those criteria and none others. (I think one of the scales was from a town somewhere in Scandinavia in the 70s but I may be wrong). It’s why you should compare to your best not your predicted.

I have a best of 630 but a predicted of 440 (ex-high performance sports). The main issues I get it medics trying to make me use predicted not best to compare scores to. Meaning I’ve been told I’m fine when actually I wasn’t (scores 330 post treatment in a&e. 75% predicted so fine for discharge but basically 50% so needed more help). Other than that it’s putting up with ‘I wish MY PF was that high’ from others. A high PF does not reflect on control. I have severe asthma, I have a friend whose best is 70% their predicted... they have no resp condition at all.

I hope this helps

[Troilus]

Hi Chu. My sister is 71 and her peak flow is 450. Like you I am female, 64. My personal best is 390, but at the moment I’m averaging about 340.

On spirometry my fev1 was 77% of my predicted but my fvc is 116% which gives me a lower than predicted ratio. I’m assuming that to get a good ratio my fev1 also needs to be above the predicted.

I think both my sister and must have larger than normal lung capacity.

Neither of us are singers or athletes or anything like that. My dad’s family were all brass band players, although we never played ourselves.

Maybe it can be genetic? Maybe dad, his brothers and uncles had larger than average lung capacities and that is why they were such good players.

[Swilliams13]

Sorry it’s a bit late, I’ve only just logged back on to have a nose through. I have a very high peak flow. My best is 570 and that’s mainly through being very sporty as a child and carrying that on into adulthood. I’ve played high level football for years and also martial arts since I was a kid and now do kickboxing which is very high intensity. My doctors have always said this is what gives my high peak flow along with not smoking ect. It is incredibly hard when I have to be treated as some doctors say Oohh yes you can be discharged, this has led to me becoming very ill in the past and having to be admitted back to hospital for a week. I also get the comments of I wish my peak flow was that high and all that kind of stuff so it’s hard. Between me and my asthma nurse who is great we have my plan in place and I also carry notes to explain my peak flow. It’s a blessing and a curse at the same time.