Vital capacity
Vital capacity (VC) is the maximum amount of air a person can expel from the lungs after a maximum
A person's vital capacity can be measured by a wet or regular
A normal adult has a vital capacity between 3 and 5 litres.[3] A human's vital capacity depends on age, sex, height, mass, and possibly ethnicity.[4] However, the dependence on ethnicity is poorly understood or defined, as it was first established by studying black slaves in the 19th century[5] and may be the result of conflation with environmental factors.[6]
Lung volumes and lung capacities refer to the volume of air associated with different phases of the respiratory cycle. Lung volumes are directly measured, whereas lung capacities are inferred from volumes.
Role in diagnosis
The vital capacity can be used to help differentiate causes of lung disease. In restrictive lung disease the vital capacity is decreased. In obstructive lung disease it is usually normal or only slightly decreased.[7]
Estimated vital capacities
Height | 150–155 cm (4'11"–5'1") | 155–160 cm (5'1"–5'3") | 160–165 cm (5'3"–5'5") | 165–170 cm (5'5"–5'7") | 170–175 cm (5'7"–5'9") | 175–180 cm (5'9"–5'11) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vital capacity (cm3) | 2900 | 3150 | 3400 | 3720 | 3950 | 4300 |
Age | 15–25 | 25–35 | 35–45 | 45–55 | 55–65 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vital capacity (cm3) | 3425 | 3500 | 3225 | 3050 | 2850 |
Formulas
Vital capacity increases with height and decreases with age. Formulas to estimate vital capacity are:[3]
References
- PMID 9669830.
- ^ "Forced Expiratory Volume and Forced Vital Capacity". Michigan Medicine.
- ^ a b "Vital Capacity". Family Practice Notebook. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
- PMID 20895846.
- ^ Villarosa, Linda (14 August 2019). "How False Beliefs in Physical Racial Difference Still Live in Medicine Today". The New York Times.
- PMID 26566381.
- ^ "Pulmonary Function Tests". UCSD. Retrieved 19 February 2015.[dead link]
- ^ ProQuest 125233939.
Further reading
Several studies have been made to measure and predict vital capacity:
- Berglund, E.; Birath, G.; Bjure, J.; Grimby, G.; Kjellmer, I.; Sandqvist, L.; Söderholm, B. (1963). "Spirometric Studies in Normal Subjects I: Forced Expirograms in Subjects Between 7 and 70 Years of Age". Acta Medica Scandinavica. 173 (2): 185–192. PMID 13970718.
- Birath, G.; Kjellmer, I.; Sandqvist, L. (1963). "Spirometric Studies in Normal Subjects: II. Ventilatory Capacity Tests in Adults". Acta Medica Scandinavica. 173 (2): 193–198. PMID 13968399.
- Grimby, G.; Sóderholm, B. (1963). "Spirometric Studies in Normal Subjects: III. Static Lung Volumes and Maximum Voluntary Ventilation in Adults with a Note on Physical Fitness". Acta Medica Scandinavica. 173 (2): 199–206. .
- Forche, Günther; Stadlober, Ernst; Harnoncourt, Karl (1988). "Neue spirometrische Bezugswerte für Kinder, Jugendliche und Erwachsene" [New spirometric reference values for children, adolescents and adults]. Österreichische Ärztezeitung (in German). 43 (15, 16): 40–42.
- Gulsvik, A.; Tosteson, T.; Bakke, P.; Humerfelt, S.; Weiss, S. T.; PMID 11722472.
- Hedenström, H; Malmberg, P; Agarwal, K (November 1985). "Reference values for lung function tests in females. Regression equations with smoking variables". Bulletin Européen de Physiopathologie Respiratoire. 21 (6): 551–557. .
- Langhammer, A.; Johnsen, R.; Gulsvik, A.; Holmen, T.L.; Bjermer, L. (1 November 2001). "Forced spirometry reference values for Norwegian adults: the Bronchial Obstruction in Nord-Trøndelag study". European Respiratory Journal. 18 (5): 770–779. PMID 11757626.