Pulmonary function tests of mongoloid and non mongoloid group of Dharan

Abstract

Background: Ethnicity is seen to effect normal reference values and pre­diction equations of pulmonary function tests (PFTs). The normal refer­ence of PFTs among mongoloid and non mongoloid group of Dharan is not available. The aim of the study was to find out the normal reference val­ues of two groups in Dharan and also to find out the correlation of height, weight and body surface area with different PFT parameters.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 (125 mongoloids and 125 non mongoloids) healthy male subjects. Convenient sampling technique was done. Every 5th patient attendant who was per­manent resident of Dharan coming to clinical Physiology lab was selected as subject in each group. Portable PFT machine (CHESTOGRAPH, HI-101 Spirometry system) was used for measurement of our test. The test was conducted according to European Respiratory Society (ERS)/American Thoracic Society (ATS criteria.

Results: Independent sample t-test was used to compare means be­tween two groups. There was significantly more height (165.30±8.21 vs 161.43±7.35), p <.05], weight [(59.29±11.64 vs 55.32±10.75), p<.05andbody surface area [(1.64±.172Vs1.57±.149), p<.05], in the non-mongoloid group compared to mongoloid group. PFT param­eters were also higher in non-mongoloid group VC [(3.3982±.70725 Vs3.0982±.78832) p<.05], FVC [(3.2798±.74312 Vs 2.988±.81970), p <.05], and FEV1 [(3.0668±.72044 Vs 2.7861±.83061) p<.05]. The prediction equations were also calculated for both groups.

Conclusions: There was difference in PFT parameters between two groups. Prediction equations were also different in both groups.