Multi-ethnic reference values for spirometry for the 3–95-yr age range: the global lung function 2012 equations

The aim of the Task Force was to derive continuous prediction equations and their lower limits of normal for spirometric indices, which are applicable globally. Over 160,000 data points from 72 centres in 33 countries were shared with the European Respiratory Society Global Lung Function Initiative. Eliminating data that could not be used (mostly missing ethnic group, some outliers) left 97,759 records of healthy nonsmokers (55.3% females) aged 2.5-95 yrs. Lung function data were collated and prediction equations derived using the LMS method, which allows simultaneous modelling of the mean (mu), the coefficient of variation (sigma) and skewness (lambda) of a distribution family. After discarding 23,572…

• UO
  University of Washington
• QM
  Queen Mary University of London
• RF
  Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
• SK
  State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease
• UO
  University of Leicester
• IC
  Imperial College London
• UU
  Universiteit Utrecht
• UO
  University of Hong Kong
• LH
  Landspítali Háskólasjúkrahús
• MU
  Mahidol University
• SQ
  Sultan Qaboos University
• HF
  Hospital for Sick Children
• UO
  University of Cape Town
• UD
  Université de Sousse
• AI
  Australian Institute of Sport
• SO
  School of Medicine, Indiana University
• HS
  Health Sciences, University of Arizona
• MR
  Medical Research Council

  Award: MR/J004839/1
• FO
  Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University