[Measuring single breath diffusing capacity in a patient sample with healthy lungs--comparison with the European Coal and Steel Community standard values].

The measurement values of the diffusion parameters TLCO (diffusion capacity) and KCO (transfer coefficient) of 107 healthy subjects not suffering from pulmonary diseases were compared with the EC/European Community for Coal and Steel (ECCS) standard value formulas (2-5). The diffusion parameter KCO is markedly better described by the 1993 standard value formula than by the 1983 ECCS version. Men yield higher measured values than predicted by the 1993 EC formulas. The diffusion parameters of smokers are significantly lower than those of non-smokers.