Abstract

REGALADO-PINEDA, Justino; GOMEZ-GOMEZ, Alejandro; RAMIREZ-ACOSTA, Javier  and  VAZQUEZ-GARCIA, Juan Carlos. Effect of tobacco smoking, respiratory symptoms and asthma on spirometry among adults attending a check-up clinic in Mexico City. Salud pública Méx [online]. 2005, vol.47, n.5, pp.327-334. ISSN 0036-3634.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of tobacco smoking, respiratory symptoms, and asthma on lung function among Mexican adults who were evaluated during a medical exam in a private health clinic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Reference prediction equations were generated for spirometry parameters [forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expired volume in one second (FEV₁) and FEV₁/FVC] based on multiple linear regression models. The effect of tobacco smoking, respiratory symptoms and asthma on these equations were explored. RESULTS: Spirometry tests were performed on 919 subjects from 14 to 86 years of age. Asthma decreased FVC and FEV₁ in men with a R² change <1%. Respiratory symptoms decreased the FEV₁/FVC ratio in both sexes. Tobacco smoking was associated with a significant reduction in FEV₁ in women. CONCLUSIONS: Asthma lightly reduced lung function in males while tobacco smoking decreased FEV_1, particularly in females.

Keywords : spirometry; reference values; asthma; smoking.