Tuberc Respir Dis.  2012 Mar;72(3):302-309.

Goodness-of-Fits of the Spirometric Reference Values for Koreans and USA Caucasians to Spirometry Data from Residents of a Region within Chungbuk Province

• Eom SY
• Moon SI
• Yim DH
• Lee CH
• Kim GB
• Kim YD
• Kang JW
• Choe KH
• Kim SJ
• Choi BS
• Yu SD
• Chang SH
• Park JD
• Kim H

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Korean regression models for spirometric reference values are different from those of Americans. Using spirometry results of Korean adults, goodness-of-fits of the Korean and the USA Caucasian regression models for forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were compared.
METHODS
The number of study participants was 2,360 (1,124 males and 1,236 females). Spirometry was performed under the guidelines of the American Thoracic Society and the European Respiratory Society. After excluding unsuitable participants, spirometric data for 729 individuals (105 males and 624 females) was included in the statistical analysis. The estimated FVC and FEV1 values were compared with those measured. Goodness-of-fits for Korean and USA Caucasian models were compared using an F-test.
RESULTS
In males, the expected values of FVC and FEV1 using the Korean model were 12.5% and 5.7% greater than those measured, respectively. The corresponding values for the USA Caucasian model were 3.5% and 0.6%. In females, the difference in FVC and FEV1 were 13.5% and 7.7% for the Korean model, and 6.3% and 0.4% for the USA model, respectively. Goodness-of-fit for the Korean model regarding FVC was not good to the study population, but the Korean regression model for FEV1, and the USA Caucasian models for FVC and FEV1 showed good fits to the measured data.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that the USA Caucasian model correlates better to the measured data than the Korean model. Using reference values derived from the Korean model can lead to an overestimation regarding the prevalence of abnormal lung function.

Keyword

Spirometry; Reference Values; Vital Capacity; Forced Expiratory Volume

MeSH Terms

Adult
Female
Forced Expiratory Volume
Humans
Lung
Male
Prevalence
Reference Values
Spirometry
Vital Capacity

Figure

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  Figure 1 Flow chart with details concerning the selection of study subjects. MD: medical doctor.

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  Figure 2 Scatter diagrams for FVC and FEV1 values measured (△), those estimated using the Korean regression model (◯) and estimated using the USA Caucasian regression model (□) in male subjects. Trend line ― is for measured values, ...... for estimated values using the Korean regression models, and ---- for estimated values using the USA Caucasian regression models, respectively. FVC: forced vital capacity; FEV1: forced expiratory volume in one second.

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  Figure 3 Scatter diagrams for FVC and FEV1 values measured (△), estimated using the Korean regression model (◯) and estimated using the USA Caucasian regression model (□) in female subjects. Trend line ― is for measured values, ...... for estimated values using the Korean regression models, and ---- for estimated values using the USA Caucasian regression models, respectively. FVC: forced vital capacity; FEV1: forced expiratory volume in one second.

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