BACKGROUND: The appropriateness of spirometric reference value depends on all its features matching those of the person being assessed, like ethnicity, environment, nutrition, absence of disease, measurement protocol, as well as equipment used. The present study determines the lung function parameters in normal young healthy Indians and derives reliable prediction formulae for Indian population. METHODS: Computerized spirometry was done in 298 nonsmoking medical students of both genders studying in MKCG Medical College, Berhampur. All the data were statistically analyzed, and prediction equations for the young Indian population were derived. RESULTS: All the lung parameters showed significant gender difference. Height showed the greatest effect on the predicted value of FEV1 and FVC in males and females. Height has the greatest effect on the predicted value of FEV1% in females, whereas weight has the least effect. We formulated univariate and multivariate regression models for prediction of lung parameters in the young Indian adults. The predicted values of pulmonary function parameters for men were 4%-17% higher than most studies, except for Kashmiri population where it was 9% lower. For females, lung parameters were 1%-29% higher in comparison to study groups in other Indian studies. The lung parameters for males were found to be lower than Iranian and Caucasian population study, but higher than Pakistani population. For females, lung parameters were 3%-8% lower than Iranian and Caucasian population, but higher in comparison to Pakistani population. CONCLUSIONS: The computed regression norms may be used to predict the spirometric values in young Indian population of similar age group as the study population.
BACKGROUND: The appropriateness of spirometric reference value depends on all its features matching those of the person being assessed, like ethnicity, environment, nutrition, absence of disease, measurement protocol, as well as equipment used. The present study determines the lung function parameters in normal young healthy Indians and derives reliable prediction formulae for Indian population. METHODS: Computerized spirometry was done in 298 nonsmoking medical students of both genders studying in MKCG Medical College, Berhampur. All the data were statistically analyzed, and prediction equations for the young Indian population were derived. RESULTS: All the lung parameters showed significant gender difference. Height showed the greatest effect on the predicted value of FEV1 and FVC in males and females. Height has the greatest effect on the predicted value of FEV1% in females, whereas weight has the least effect. We formulated univariate and multivariate regression models for prediction of lung parameters in the young Indian adults. The predicted values of pulmonary function parameters for men were 4%-17% higher than most studies, except for Kashmiri population where it was 9% lower. For females, lung parameters were 1%-29% higher in comparison to study groups in other Indian studies. The lung parameters for males were found to be lower than Iranian and Caucasian population study, but higher than Pakistani population. For females, lung parameters were 3%-8% lower than Iranian and Caucasian population, but higher in comparison to Pakistani population. CONCLUSIONS: The computed regression norms may be used to predict the spirometric values in young Indian population of similar age group as the study population.