[Growth and ventilatory function in Black children and adolescents]

The authors realized an anthropometric and spirometric study in Senegalese children and adolescents, 119 males and 82 females were selected. They studied the statural and thoracic rate of growth with age and the consequences on lung function growth. The correlations between each spirometric parameter and each anthropometric parameter were calculated in order to determine the best regression equations of pulmonary volumes and flows according to height, weight and other anatomical parameters. Results were compared to literature. The spirometric values were very close to Black American and African ones but the spirometric volumes were about 20% less than Caucasian values. The differences in forced expiratory flows were smaller (10%). The explanation is mainly anatomic: African children have smaller thorax with long limbs as it was shown largely in adults. The rate of somatic and lung growth was not similar to Caucasian children, thus we have proposed our regression equations as spirometric reference values for African children and adolescents.