THE CORRELATION OF FVC%, FEV1%, PEFR CORRESPONDING TO PULMONARY FUNCTION IN SMOKERS AND NON-SMOKERS

Back ground and Objectives: Smoking is one of the major causes of preventable morbidity and mortality in both developed and developing countries. Cigarette smoke is a heterogeneous aerosol contains 4000 chemicals, on chronic exposure reduces small air ways function, increase inflammatory cells in lung, which produce free radicals. The oxidative stress increases progressive deterioration of lung function and affects all the parameters of pulmonary function test. Our work is aimed to highlight the changes in FVC%, FEV1%, PEFR in smokers so that early intervention prevents the morbidity and mortality. Methods: This study include 50 healthy male subjects aged between 40 - 55yrs. Out of them 25 are non-smokers and 25 are smokers, who smoke 11 - 25 cigarettes per day for the past 15 yrs. All of these underwent computerized pulmonary function tests (WinspiroPRO). Results: The results showed that there is significant decrease in mean values of FVC%, FEV1%, PEFR in smokers as compared to the non-smokers with significant P value < 0.001. Interpretation and Conclusion: The irritants present in the smoke cause release of elastase from alveolar macrophages that degrades structural elements of the lung which leads to loss of elastic recoil causing decrease in FVC%, FEV1%, PEFR in our present study.