Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2015 Fall;51(4):99-101.

Race, ethnicity and lung function: A brief history

Lundy Braun  1
Affiliations

Race, ethnicity and lung function: A brief history

Lundy Braun. Can J Respir Ther. 2015 Fall.

Abstract

Spirometry is the most common lung function test and represents the cornerstone diagnostic and management tool for individuals with chronic respiratory diseases. Variability and changing temporal trends in lung function measurements, however, have contributed to the problem of standardizing spirometry, especially with regard to 'race correction'. This article examines the history of the practice, the dilemmas encountered by researchers and the implications of adhering to long-held beliefs without considering more complex explanatory frameworks.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Burney P, Jarvis D, Perez-Padilla R. The global burden of chronic respiratory disease in adults. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2015;19:10–20. - PubMed
    1. White N, Hanley JH, Lalloo UG, Becklake M. Review and analysis of variation between spirometric values reported in 29 studies of healthy African adults. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1994;150:348–55. - PubMed
    1. Braun L. Breathing race into the machine: The surprising career of the spirometer from plantation to genetics. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press; 2014.
    1. Pelligrino R, Viegi G, Bursaco V, Crapo RO, Burgos F, Casaburi R. Interpretive strategies for lung function tests. Eur Respir J. 2005;26:948–68. - PubMed
    1. Hankinson JL, Odencrantz JR, Fedan KB. Spirometric reference values from a sample of the general U.S. population. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1999;159:179–87. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources