Growth of lung and thorax dimensions during the pubertal growth spurt

In the follow-up study of adolescents residual volume (RV), vital capacity (VC), closing volume (CV), thorax height and thorax width were measured at six month intervals over a six year period; 149 girls and 477 boys, whose ages ranged between 11.5 and 18.5 yr during the follow-up, were investigated. In healthy subjects and in those with respiratory symptoms the rates of change of thoracic dimensions, as calculated by a robust linear regression technique, were moderately well correlated; the growth rates of RV and VC were only slightly correlated, and both were moderately well correlated with changes in thorax dimensions. Thorax height increased relative to thorax width in boys and girls during the follow-up. In boys, thorax height continued to grow, when standing height and thorax width had attained adult values in girls. Thus the thorax attains a more elongated shape. During the adolescent growth spurt the residual volume as a percentage of total lung capacity (RV%TLC) within subjects increased on average 0.6% per yr, and closing volume as a percentage of vital capacity (CV%VC) decreased on average 0.5% per yr. Both of these changes can be accounted for by decreased thorax compliance and increased outward chest recoil at low lung volumes.