[Reference values of ventilatory capacity in persons in the third stage of life].
Ventilatory capacity was measured in a group of 622 subjects aged 60 years and older (475 women and 147 men).


METHODS
Maximum expiratory flow-volume curve was recorded, on which forced vital capacity (FVC), one second forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and maximum expiratory flow rates at 50% and the last 25% of vital capacity (FEF50, FEF25) were read. Reference values of ventilatory capacity tests for women and men were calculated by linear multiple regression with age and height as predictors, separately for smokers and nonsmokers.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of ventilatory capacity tests in our population showed better compliance with the reference values proposed by Mustajbegović et al. compared to those by Quanjer et al. According to our results the ventilatory capacity values decreased by the age of 70-79 years, followed unexpectedly by an increase relative to the expected values. Since ventilatory capacity tests do not follow a linear decrease, in the evaluation of lung function in the elderly it is necessary to use reference values specific for this population.
Turcić
Nada
N
Hrvatski zavod za mirovinsko osiguranje, Zagreb, Hrvatska.
Zuskin
Eugenija
E
Mustajbegović
Jadranka
J
Smolej-Narancić
Nina
N
Ivanković
Davor
D
Soda
Ana
A
Redzebasić
Azra
A
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation; D012016:Reference Values; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology