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International Journal of Recent Trends in Science and Technology, ISSN 2277-2812 E-ISSN: 2249-8109

Volume 8, Issue 1, August 2013 pp 01-03

Research Article

A Comparative Study of Pulmonary Function Tests in Children and Adolescents, in a Rural Area of Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India

Venkata Venu Gopala Raju S.¹, Madhu Babu K.², Chaitanya G.³

{¹Associate Professor, ²Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology}

{³Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine}

Academic Editor : Dr. Aher K.R.

 Introduction: Pulmonary Function Tests are used to measure base­line status of respiratory function, to monitor treatment and to estimate prognosis. The present study was aimed to determine pulmonary function tests values and to compare the different parameters like FVC, FEV₁, ERV, FEF_25-75%, PEFR in children and adolescents. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted to determine the pulmonary function tests in selected children and adolescents, belonging to rural area of Guntur district. Fifty male subjects were considered for the study and divided them into two groups basing on the age, who are in good health and without any signs and symptoms of disease. Pulmonary function tests were done with the help of Computerized Spirometer. Different parameters like FVC, FEV₁, ERV, FEF_25-75% and PEFR were recorded. Results and Discussion: Increase of FEV₁ of 93.58%, FVC of 105%, ERVof 67.39%,  FEF_25-75%  of 52.03%,  PEFR of 46.19% was observed in adolescents, when compared to children. Statistical significance was obtained by using t test (P<0.001). Among the parameters studied, FVC showed a greater increase (i.e. 105%) in adolescents than the remaining parameters when compared with children. Conclusion: In the current study, Pulmonary function test values of children and adolescents, a marked increase was observed in all the five parameters, from childhood to adolescence as per the body needs of oxygen. It is important to understand the improvement of Pulmonary function test values with age among adolescents, in interpretation of PFT variations in different clinical settings.