Abstract

ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF AGING ON PULMONARY FUNCTION TESTS IN ELDERLY POPULATION OF JAMMU

Roop Krishan Ji Dhar*, Suman Bala and Sunil Sachdev

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of aging on lung function tests in elderly population aged 60 years and above. Methods: The present study was carried out among 185 subjects from Old people homes and different geriatric organisations. Clinical examination of chest was performed that includes Pulmonary Function Tests with the help of Medspiror. The subjects with medical complications were excluded. A p-value of 0.05 was considered statistically non significant. Results: The study showed progressive decline in mean values of FVC, FEV0.5, FEV1, FEV3 and PEFR with age in both males and females. Further FEV.5/FVC%, FEV1/FVC% and FEV3/FVC% changed insignificantly in both males and females. Conclusion: The study reported significant decline in most of the parameters of Pulmonary Function Tests with increasing age.

Keywords: Pulmonary Function Tests; physiological alterations; geriatric population