Evaluation of Lung Function Test (FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC ratio, PEFR) among Smokers and Nonsmokers

Abstract

Background: Cigarette smoking and its health consequences represents one of the most serious public health problems and represents an important health challenge, it carries major health risks with the most cause specific mortalities being those of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Tobacco consumption is the most common cause of the preventable deaths globally. Tobacco is often consumed in the form of cigarettes. Deleterious effects of tobacco are seen in all body systems but most markedly on respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Smoking is responsible for 25% of all death in Bangladeshi men aged 25-69 years. Cardiovascular diseases are on the progressive rise in developing countries. Objective: To measure lung function test (FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC ratio, PEFR) among smokers and nonsmokers. Method: In this study, changes in ECG and pulmonary function tests were evaluated in apparently healthy adult male smokers and nonsmokers. This comparative cross sectional study was carried out in the department of Physiology, Rajshahi Medical College, Rajshahi from January 2018 to December 2018. Result: A total number of 184 healthy subject aged between 20 to 45 years were divided into two groups – Group A considered of 92 adult male nonsmokers and Group B considered of 92 apparently healthy adult male smokers. Group B are subdivided into light smokers (1-10 stick/day), moderate smokers (11-20 stick/day), and heavy smokers (>20 stick/day). Analysis of data was done with the help of computer by SPSS 12.0 programmer and significant tests were done by unpaired student’s “t” test. PFT parameters FVC, FEV1, PEFR, FEV1 and FVC ratio were significantly reduced in smokers compared to nonsmokers (P< 0.001). The values of FVC, FEV1, PEFR were significantly reduced with increase number of cigarette smoke per day (P < 0.001) while FEV1/FVC ratio did not show much difference (P>0.05). Conclusion: In this study it was found that the actual values of FVC, FEV1, FEV1/ FVC %, PEFR were ....