Ventilatory function of healthy, urban, non smoking, Pakistani young adults aged 18-24 years

Age may have a different contribution to normal lung function values in tho se aged less than 25 years, as compared to older individuals. We report reg ression equations predicting ventilatory parameters in this age group, as n one have been reported from Pakistan. The study was conducted on students of King Edward Medical College Lahore, Pakistan. Participants had never smoked and reported no respiratory symptom s. In addition to anthropometric data, forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (F EV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF) and forced ex piratory flow at 50% of FVC (FEF50) were measured. Equations predicting nor mal values of these parameters were derived using SPSS (Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.) P less than or equal to 0.05 was treated as statistically significa nt. Of the students, 519 took part in the study. All four parameters correlated significantly (P < 0.001) and positively with height. FEF50 had a negative correlation with age in both sexes (P < 0.05). The correlation of other pa rameters with age was variable and not statistically significant. On multip le regression, height featured as an independent predictor in equations for all parameters. The contribution of age as an independent predictor of ven tilatory function was, once again, variable. Independent variables were ret ained in the raw form as their transformation did not improve the goodness of fit of the derived equations. Only height and age emerged as independent predictors of ventilatory functi on. Values derived from the equations presented in this study were less tha n those for height and age matched white Caucasians. Such differences were greater than the 'Asian correction factors'. (C) 1999 Harcourt Publishers L td.