Correlation between peak expiratory flow rate and single breath count test in traffic - policemen.

Results

The mean age of participants was 40.39 ± 9.05 years, mean height 174.77 ± 5.02 cm, mean weight 81.00 ± 13.33 kg, and mean BMI 26.52 ± 4.24 kg/m². The mean PEFR was 520.91 ± 106.75 L/min and mean SBCT was 67.73 ± 16.23 counts. Both parameters were significantly lower in smokers than in non-smokers (p < 0.001). Pearson’s correlation showed a strong positive relationship between PEFR and SBCT (r = 0.752, p < 0.001). Age demonstrated a negative correlation with both PEFR (r = -0.305, p = 0.002) and SBCT (r = -0.345, p < 0.001), while height correlated positively with PEFR (r = 0.289, p = 0.004). No significant associations were observed for weight or BMI.

Discussion

This study demonstrated a strong positive correlation between PEFR and SBCT among traffic policemen, suggesting that SBCT can serve as a reliable and inexpensive proxy for pulmonary function assessment. The findings align with previous research by Bhandare et al. (2021), who found a similar relationship in healthy adults. The reduced PEFR and SBCT values among smokers underscore the deleterious effects of tobacco on respiratory function, consistent with studies by Gupta et al. (2011) and Pajanivel et al. (2013). The negative correlation between age and pulmonary indices reflects age-related declines in lung elasticity and muscle strength. Height showed a positive influence, likely due to larger thoracic volume and vital capacity. The absence of BMI effects may be explained by moderate weight distribution in the cohort. Overall, SBCT proves to be a simple, rapid, and non - invasive alternative respiratory assessment tool  in resource limited occupational settings.