Chronic respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function status in Ethiopian agricultural workers: a comparative study

BMC Pulmonary Medicine

Table 4 Actual mean values of spirometric parameters in agricultural workers (n = 288) compared with their controls (n = 288)

Parameters	Agricultural workers Mean ± SD	Control subjects Mean ± SD	95% CI	p-value
FVC (L)	3.11 ± 1. 03	3.34 ± 1.10	− 0.40, − 0.05	0.010*
FEV₁ (L)	2.53 ± 0.87	2.73 ± 0.82	− 0.34, − 0.06	0.004*
FEV₁/ FVC (%)	82.43 ± 14.03	83.67 ± 13.42	−3.49, 1.01	0.279
FEF_25% (L/s)	8.53 ± 1.94	8.95 ± 1.85	− 0.73, − 0.11	0.008*
FEF_50% (L /s)	3.35 ± 1.51	3.64 ± 1.51	− 0.54, − 0.04	0.022*
FEF_75% (L/s)	2.20 ± 0.89	2.34 ± 0.95	− 0.29, 0.01	0.076
FEF_25–75% (L /s)	3.09 ± 1.37	3.32 ± 1.28	− 0.44, − 0.01	0.047*
PEFR (L/s)	4.48 ± 1.94	5.02 ± 1.95	− 0.85,-0.22	0.001*

Note: CI Confidence interval of the mean difference, FVC Forced Vital Capacity, FEV1 Forced Expiratory Volume in first second, FEF Forced Expiratory Flow, PEFR Peak Expiratory Flow Rate, SD standard deviation, L liter, S second, Numerical data in * indicates the level of significance (p < 0.05)

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