Determination of Pulmonary Functions with Impulse Oscillometry in Medical Students

Objective: Providing more useful information than spirometry to reflect comprehensively the characteristics of respiratory physiology and respiratory kinetics. Methods: Pulmonary function test was made of 100 healthy college students by impulseoseillometry (IOS ) -the latest technique of pulmonary function test and spirometry. IOS was repeated in 23 male students. Results: Total respiratory impedence(Zrs) was below 0.5kPa/L.s-1, resonance frequency(Fre) was about 10Hz, X5 = 0.05 ± 0.03 .The ratios of the actual values to the predictal values of airway vicosity resistance were less than 150%, which were within the normal range except R35. From 5Hz to 35Hz, R remained for the same while Xincreased with incrdased frequency. R and X were independent on flow and volume, but frequency spectrum had effect on dR/dV'. Conclusions:The airway viscosityresistance of students tested by IOS is commensurate with the reference value. The reproducibility of ISO is excellent.The difference between the predicted value and the actual value of X which represents elasticity resistance and inertia resistance and the effect of frequency spectrum on flow might be related to slight airway obstrction- a kind of lesson closely related to smoking.Thus, IOS is suitable for health screening of college students.