Background
Spirometric values for police officers in the police hospital, Khartoum, Sudan were observed to show higher values than predicted.1 Reference values are important for diagnosis of asthma and chronic bronchitis
Methods
For deriving a new reference value for adult police men, a cross- sectional study was performed on 161 adult male police officers, aged 20–50 years in (June- December 2012) in Khartoum state in different police units. Data were obtained through a questionnaire, pulmonary function testing and taking anthropometric measurements, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were measured using a microplus spirometer and a peak flow meter. Lung function values and anthropometric measurements were correlated and regression equations were derived
Results
Adult police males had a significantly higher FVC, FEV1and PEFR [3.96 ± 0.56 L , 3.61 ± 0.52 L and 564.1 ± 70.4 L/min respectively] than those of normal adult Sudanese males [3.68 ± 0.22 L , 3.35 ± 0.23 L and 505.9 ± 19.1L/min respectively]. A positive correlation was found between lung function and height and a negative correlation with age. Regression equations of normal predicted values were derived for police officer FVC (L) [0.027 X (cm) – 0.039 X A (years) +0.345], FEV1 (L) [0.0264 X (cm) – 0.036 X A (years) +0.0105] and PEFR (L/min) [1.599 X (cm) – 4.207 X A (years) + 329.349.
Conclusions
it seems that the continuous training of police officers produced higher lung volumes and a separate reference values tables should be used for them