[Influence of aging on respiratory function with emphasis on senile persons].

Abstract

The change of respiratory function in senile persons was studied by determining timed vital capacity and flow volume curve, using 183 male subjects in age of 60-86 years old (66 subjected for 60-64 years old, 43 for 65-69 years, 45 for 70-74 and 29 for 75 years old or above) who are non-smoking persons and have no anamnesis of circulatory disorders. The results are as follows: 1. Each determination result by age; 1) Timed vital capacity; Both forced vital capacity (FVC) and % forced vital capacity (% FVC) were decreased with aging, where as forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1.0%) remained unchanged. 2) Flow volume curve; Peak flow (PF), V75 and V50 were decreased with aging, but hardly any change was seen in V25.V50/V25 showed a tendency toward decrease with aging, but the level was 3.0 or above in each age group. It is postulated in respiratory function of senile persons aged 60 years or above that restrictive ventilation impairment goes to aggravate with age, but the severity of obstructive ventilation impairment is slight. 2. Each determination value by ventilation impairment groups; All subjects (183) were classified into 4 groups, i.e., 70 (38.3%) for normal healthy group, 43 (23.5%) for restrictive ventilation impairment group, 48 (26.2%) for obstructive ventilation impairment group and 22 (12.0%) for mixed ventilation impairment group. Normal healthy group and obstructive ventilation impairment group showed a tendency toward decrease with aging, but restrictive ventilation impairment group and mixed ventilation impairment group showed a tendency toward increase with aging. However, there were no significant differences in determination items of age and V50/V25 among the groups tested. These results suggest that ventilation impairment develops in senile persons in age of 60 years old or above regardless of their age distribution, along with the decrease in sensitivity to V50/V25. 3. Relationship among FEV1.0% and V75, V50, V25 and V50/V25 In age of 60-69 years old, there were correlations between FEV1.0% and V25, i.e., r = 0.377 (P less than 0.05) in normal healthy group; among FEV1.0% and V50 and V25, i.e., r = 0.505 and r = 0.479 (P less than 0.05) in obstructive ventilation impairment group. In senile persons in age of 70 years old, there were correlations between FEV1.0% and V50 and V25, i.e., r = 0.789 and r = 0.716 (P less than 0.01) in obstructive ventilation impairment group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)