Gochicoa-Rangel Laura, Martínez-Briseño David, Bowerman Cole, Stanojevic Sanja, Enrique Busi Luciano, Arce Santiago C, Gutiérrez-Clavería Mónica, Rodríguez-Martínez Carlos E, Aguirre-Franco Carlos, Moya-Olivares Ana, Vernaza-Alcedo Vanessa, Palma Chambilla Nilda Luz, Villca-Alá Nelson, Fernández-Plata Rosario, Pérez-Padilla Rogelio, Guzmán-Valderrábano Carlos, Solange-Caussade Marie, Torre-Bouscoulet Luis
Departamento de Fisiología Respiratoria, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas", Mexico City, Mexico.
Laboratorio de Función Respiratoria, Instituto de Desarrollo e Innovación en Fisiología Respiratoria, Mexico City, Mexico.
ERJ Open Res. 2025 Aug 4;11(4). doi: 10.1183/23120541.00060-2024. eCollection 2025 Jul.
Approximately 20% of people in Latin America live more than 2500 m above sea level. In this ethnically and socioeconomically diverse population, it is challenging to differentiate the effects of altitude from population differences in lung function. The aim of the present study was to quantify the contribution of altitude on the variability in lung function measured by spirometry in Latin America.
Data from healthy individuals living in nine cities across Latin America (from sea level to >2500 m above sea level) were collated. -scores for forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV/FVC were calculated using available reference equations. Mixed-effects linear regression models were used to quantify the variance in spirometry explained by altitude. The percentage of individuals that were below the lower limit of normal (fifth percentile) were summarised.
A total 4480 subjects (3-94 years) were included. Average FEV and FVC -scores differed between the altitude groups, whereas FEV/FVC did not. After adjusting for sex, height and age, altitude explained up to ∼18% of the variability in lung function measured by spirometry.
For people living at altitude, existing approaches to interpreting spirometry measures may misclassify individuals.
拉丁美洲约20%的人口生活在海拔2500米以上的地区。在这个种族和社会经济背景多样的人群中，区分海拔高度对肺功能的影响与人群差异具有挑战性。本研究的目的是量化海拔高度对拉丁美洲通过肺活量测定法测量的肺功能变异性的贡献。
整理了居住在拉丁美洲九个城市（从海平面到海拔2500米以上）的健康个体的数据。使用可用的参考方程计算第1秒用力呼气量（FEV）、用力肺活量（FVC）和FEV/FVC的z分数。使用混合效应线性回归模型量化海拔高度对肺活量测定法结果的方差贡献。总结低于正常下限（第五百分位数）的个体百分比。
共纳入4480名受试者（3 - 94岁）。海拔高度组之间的平均FEV和FVC z分数不同，而FEV/FVC没有差异。在调整性别、身高和年龄后，海拔高度解释了通过肺活量测定法测量的肺功能变异性的约18%。
对于生活在高海拔地区的人来说，现有的解释肺活量测定法测量结果的方法可能会对个体进行错误分类。
