Abstract
Background: Throughout the human life span, airway behavior and the clinical manifestations of airway disease show gender differences which are related to other factors such as biological and sociocultural factors. Similar studies have been conducted in various parts of India and showed wide variations even within the state with similar socioeconomic and cultural factors. Even physical activity too has influenced pulmonary function tests (PFT). The most of the studies on PFT were carried out in the Southern part of Karnataka and no previous studies on this topic were done in Bidar.

Aim and Objectives: The aim of the study was to study the gender differences in peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and timed vital capacity among medical students of BRIMS, Bidar.

Materials and Methods: After obtaining ethical clearance from institute, the study was conducted on healthy 18–25 years aged 200 males and 200 female undergraduate medical students in Department of Physiology, BRIMS, Bidar. After recording basic physical characteristics, lung parameters that are forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the 1st s (FEV1), FEV3, and PEFR were recorded using Micro Quark, a PC-based spirometer, connected through serial port (RS232). Statistical analysis was done using independent sample t-test with the help of SPSS 25 version. P < 0.05 was considered the level of significance.

Results: Results revealed that there was statistically significant decrease in the mean values of FVC(L), FEV1(L), FEV3(L), and PEFR (L/min) in female subjects compared to male subjects (P < 0.01). Even there was statistical significant decrease in FEV1/FVC ratio in female subjects compared to male subjects (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Our study concluded that the values of FVC, FEV1, FEV3, FEV1/FVC, and PEFR were observed to be higher in male undergraduate subjects when compared with female subjects of BRIMS, Bidar.

Key words: Spirometry; Timed Vital Capacity; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate