Reference values for FEV₁ in Japanese-American men from 45 to 68 years of age

Pulmonary function is known to vary by racial group, yet no standards have been published for Asian-Americans. The Honolulu Heart Program, a prospective epidemiologic study of cardiovascular disease, provided an opportunity to examine pulmonary function, specifically, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁), in Japanese-American men 45 to 68 yr of age. Of a cohort of 6,346 men, 1,490 were identified as healthy asymptomatic nonsmokers. Prediction equations and reference values were derived from this subgroup. When the prediction equation was compared with those derived from Caucasian and black populations, mean predicted FEV₁ for Japanese-Americans was intermediate to higher values for Caucasians and lower values for blacks. In addition to age and height, skinfolds, dynamometry, and biacromial diameter were found to be independent predictors for FEV₁. In summary, standards derived from Japanese-American populations should be used when measuring pulmonary function in this group and additional physical measurements make a small contribution to the accuracy of prediction equations.