Prediction of maximum voluntary ventilation based on forced expiratory volume in athletes

Maximum-voluntary-ventilation (MVV) is the maximal volume of which an individual can move by voluntary effort in one minute. It is possible that the first second forced-expiratory-volume (FEV₁) could be more to reliable assess respiratory muscle endurance to estimate MVV.

For this aim, 422 athletes (Age 22.9 ± 8.5 years; 98/324 - females/males) were performed a MVV, and FEV₁ measurements.

The coefficient of determination was R² = 0.594 between MVV and FEV₁, with a predictive equation for overall participants: MVV = (FEV₁ × 33.5)+12.7. The robust regression showed a good multiple correlation coefficient (R = 0.815) with the coefficient of determination R² = 0.661 for the model including FEV₁, age and gender as predictors. These equations MVV = (FEV₁ X 27.3)+(Age(y) × 1.1)+20.5 and MVV = (FEV₁ × 27.3)+(Age(y) × 1.1) were derived for male and female, respectively.

FEV₁ can predict MVV in different athletes with greater accuracy when stratified per gender. Therefore, this new approach can be used in a short all-out test without stress of the respiratory muscle to predict MVV in athletes.