Similar relation of age and height to lung function among Whites, African Americans, and Hispanics.

ABSTRACT: Current guidelines recommend separate spirometry reference equations for whites, African Americans, and Mexican Americans, but the justification for this recommendation is controversial. The authors examined the statistical justification for race/ethnic-specific reference equations in adults in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994) and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Lung Study (2000-2006). Spirometry was measured following American Thoracic Society guidelines. "Statistical justification" was defined as the presence of effect modification by race/ethnicity among never-smoking participants without respiratory disease or symptoms and was tested with interaction terms for race/ethnicity (× age and height) in regression models. There was no evidence of effect modification by race/ethnicity for forced expiratory volume in 1 second, forced vital capacity, or the forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity ratio among white, African-American, and Mexican-American men or women on an additive scale or a log scale. Interaction terms for race/ethnicity explained less than 1% of variability in lung function. The mean lung function for a given age, gender, and height was the same for whites and Mexican Americans but was lower for African Americans. Findings were similar in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Lung Study. The associations of age and height with lung function are similar across the 3 major US race/ethnic groups. Multiethnic rather than race/ethnic-specific spirometry reference equations are applicable for the US population.

SUBMITTER: Kiefer EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3032806 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature