Comparison of PEV and FEV1 Using Three Different Lung Function Instruments
This study focuses on the levels of air pollution in Seattle and how it affects the health of people 65 years and older with lung disease or asthma. Two different electronic devices are being used to take lung function measurements that will later be compared to daily air pollution measurements. Both devices, VM Plus and Airwatch, measure lung function and how well air moves out of a subject's lungs. Both the VM Plus and the Airwatch measure and record Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) and Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (FEV1). Peak Flow measures how hard a subject can push air out of their lungs after taking in as big a breath as possible. Forced Expiratory volume in the first second measures how much air that a subject can push out of his/her lungs in one second. In this study I will be comparing data from both the VM Plus and the Airwatch to determine which one provides a more accurate lung function reading. Accurate readings are important to minimize instrument error. My hypothesis is that the VM Plus records more accurate data because the design of the Airwatch mouthpiece is square-shaped and has the potential to leak more air than a round mouthpiece such as the one attached to the VM Plus. A tighter seal is achieved more easily with round mouthpiece thus giving a more accurate reading.
