RESPIRATORY FUNCTION TESTS1 2 Normal Values at Methan Altitudes and the Prediction of Normal Results

Journal/Book: THE AMERICAN REVIEW OF TULERCULOSIS AND PULMONARY DISEASES Vol. 79 No. 4 April 1959. 1959;

Abstract: Received for publication July 28 1958 1 From the Cardiopulmonary Unit of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research; and the Department of Medicine of the University of the Witwatersrand; and the Johannesburg General Hospital. 2 The work described in this paper includes material which ha been submitted by one of us (H.LG.) for a Ph.D. thesis to the University of Pretoria. 3 In receipt of a bursary from the Pneumoconiosis Research Unit of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. 4 Present address: Department of Medicine Royal Victoria Hospital Montreal Canada. SUMMARY Values for the subdivisions of lung volume of subjects acclimatized at 5 760 feet above sea level do not appear to differ significantly from sea-level values if account is taken of the differences in body size. On the contrary the similarity of values reported from different laboratories is striking. In contrast maximal breathing capacity and resting and exercise ventilation are significantly higher and the resting arterial oxygen saturation is significantly lower at median altitudes. This is in keeping with the findings of other workers. Formulas have been derived for predicting various subdivisions of lung volume from age and body characteristics and it is shown that it is justifiable to apply these formulas both at sea level and at altitudes at least up to 5 760 feet. ___MH

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