LUNG VOLUME IN SMOKERS AND NONSMOKERS

Abstract

Anatomic lung compartments are compared between smokers and nonsmokers in a group of 221 working business and professional men, average age 52 years. Age and body size are similar in the subgroups analyzed. Vital capacity is smaller (by 211 cc) in smokers, residual vol. larger (150 cc), total lung capacity similar, and ratio of residual vol./total lung capacity greater (2.5) than in nonsmokers. The differences are statistically significant for vital capacity and residual vol./total lung capacity ratio. Values for "stopped" smokers are not different from those of "never" smokers. There is a greater prevalence of individuals with "elevated" (>35%) residual vol./total lung capacity ratios in the smoking categories (31.2%) than in the nonsmokers (13.8%).