Spirometric evaluation of pulmonary function tests in clinically diagnosed patients of bronchial asthma.

The present study was undertaken to assess the difference between the normal predicted value and observed value of pulmonary function test (PFT) amongst the asthmatic patients and also to compare the aforesaid observed values between male and female asthmatic patients. Clinically diagnosed cases (male 62, female 75) of bronchial asthma attending medical out patient department of Nepal Medical College Teaching Hospital were assessed. All the pulmonary parameters showed significantly less observed values than the normal predicted values except PEFR in female and FVC in male asthmatic patients. Hence, PEFR in female and FVC in male asthmatic patients might not be considered as a valid parameter to indicate bronchial asthma. Present study also revealed that all the pulmonary variables were significantly higher in males than in females.