The Change of Pulmonary Functions According to Age Increasing in Elderly Women

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the affects of increased age on the pulmonary functions in elderly women. Methods : The subjects of this study were 68 healthy elderly women without lung and heart disease. Subjects were classified in the following age categories: 60s, 70s and 80s. The study’s methods and purpose were explained and these women agreed to participate. The items of pulmonary function were maximal-effort expiratory capacity(MEC), slow vital capacity(SVC), maximum inspiratory pressure(MIP) and maximum expiratory pressure(MEP). A spirometry (Pony FX, COSMED Inc, Italy) was used for measuring of the pulmonary functions in elderly women. The test was performed 3 times, and its mean value was used for analysis. Result : An ANOVA test was used to compare the change of pulmonary functions among categorized age in elderly women. Among the items in MEC, forced vital capacity(FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second(FEV1) were significant difference according to increased age . In case of SVC, there was a significant difference in inspiratory capacity(IC), vital capacity(VC) and inspiratory reserve volume(IRV). Also, MIP and MEP were different significantly among categorized age. Especially, items which were FVC, FEV1, IC, VC, IRV and MIP were significant difference between 80s and 60s, between 80s and 70s. MIP was significant difference only between 80s and 60s. Conclusion : This study demonstrated that pulmonary functions decreased remarkably as age increasing. Especially, this study showed that the age of 80s in elderly women is the critical time which pulmonary functions were decreasing significantly.