Spirometric standards for healthy Nigerian children and adolescents

Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1.0) and peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR) were determined in 131 school children and adolescents aged between 5 and 20 years to determine normal values among Nigerian school children. The results were analyzed with respect to the ages, heights, weights, chest circumference and body surface areas of the subjects. A good correlation was observed between these anthropometric measurements and the indices of pulmonary function. The mean values of FVC, FEV1.0, and PEFR were lower than those reported in caucasian children but similar to the available data in the literature for African children. Mean FEV1.0, FVC and PEFR values were higher in males than in females at most ages.