Arm span as an independent predictor of pulmonary function parameters: validation and reference values

To determine if arm span can be used as a measure of body length in developing prediction equations for lung function and to compare these equations with height-derived equations.

Standing height and arm span were measured for all study subjects. Spirometry measurements included FVC, FEV(1), FEV(1)/FVC ratio, PEFR, FEF(25), FEF(50), FEF(75) and FEF(25-75). These data were used to develop prediction equations using multiple regression analysis based on age, gender and arm span. An independent group (225 subjects) was used to evaluate the accuracy of the equations. Predicted values for each parameter were calculated separately for arm span and height and compared with the measured values.

Study subjects comprised 1865 healthy non-smoking Persian volunteers. Arm span-based equations accurately predicted all of the spirometric parameters. The standard errors of the estimate for prediction equations based on arm span were slightly smaller than those based on standing height. Average predicted values based on height predicted from arm span did not consistently agree with the measured values.

Predicting pulmonary parameters using equations based on arm span is as reliable as using equations based on standing height and are more accurate for patients in whom height cannot be measured reliably.