Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 40, Issue 3 329-332, Copyright © 1976 by American Physiological Society
Transit time analysis of the forced expiratory spirogram in growth
N. Neuburger, H. Levison, A. C. Bryan and K. Kruger
In the search for more sensitive indicators of airway obstruction Fish et
al. (Am. Rev. Respirat. Diseases 109: 700, 1974) have proposed a transit
time analysis of the forced expiratory spirogram. In this method the forced
vital capacity (FVC) is divided into volumes of air and each volume is
assigned a transit time; the nature of the FVC can be described by the
transit times' mean, standard deviation, and index of skewness. In a group
of 48 healthy nonsmoking subjects between the ages of 9 and 22 yr we found
that all three quantities decreased with increasing age. This demonstrates
an improvement in the function of the peripheral airways with lung growth.
In contrast to the increase in flow rates with lung growth, none of this
improved function can be attributed to increased lung volume.
