title: Transfer factor, lung volumes, resistance and ventilation distribution in healthy adults.
abstract: Monitoring of chronic lung disease requires reference values of lung function indices, including putative markers of small airway function, spanning a wide age range.We measured spirometry, transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide (TLCO), static lung volume, resistance and ventilation distribution in a healthy population, studying at least 20 subjects per sex and per decade between the ages of 20 and 80 years.With respect to the Global Lung Function Initiative reference data, our subjects had average z-scores for forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC of -0.12, 0.04 and -0.32, respectively. Reference equations were obtained which could account for a potential dependence of index variability on age and height. This was done for (but not limited to) indices that are pertinent to asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease studies: forced expired volume in 6 s, forced expiratory flow, TLCO, specific airway conductance, residual volume (RV)/total lung capacity (TLC), and ventilation heterogeneity in acinar and conductive lung zones.Deterioration in acinar ventilation heterogeneity and lung clearance index with age were more marked beyond 60 years, and conductive ventilation heterogeneity showed the greatest increase in variability with age. The most clinically relevant deviation from published reference values concerned RV/TLC values, which were considerably smaller than American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society-endorsed reference values.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Division, University Hospital UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium sylvia.verbanck@uzbrussel.be.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Verbanck
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Division, University Hospital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Muylem
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Division, University Hospital UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schuermans
authors.affiliation: Geriatrics Dept, University Hospital UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6820-9586
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bautmans
authors.affiliation: Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Division, University Hospital UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vincken
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D000963:Antimetabolites; D001944:Breath Tests; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010993:Plethysmography, Whole Body; D011653:Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013147:Spirometry; D014109:Total Lung Capacity; D014797:Vital Capacity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000963:Antimetabolites; D002248:Carbon Monoxide