Gender Differences in Vital Capacity, Respiratory Minute Volume, Maximum Voluntary Ventilation with Exercise

The study is aimed to investigate the gender differences in Vital capacity, Respiratory minute volume, Maximum voluntary ventilation with exercise.

To compare Vital capacity, Respiratory Minute volume and Maximum voluntary ventilation in males and females post exercise.

The present study is carried out in a group of 50 healthy, 1^st year MBBS students of both sexes who are not regular athletes.25 males between the age group of 17–19 years and with normal BMI were selected as Group A and 25 Females with age and BMI matched were selected as Group B. The study was conducted in Mahavir Institute of Medical sciences, Vikarabad. Vital capacity was determined using wet spirometer.

Respiratory Minute Volume (RMV) was determined by collecting expired air into a Douglas bag while the subject breaths under restful conditions for one minute. Maximum Voluntary Ventilation (MVV) was recorded by asking the subject to breath as rapidly and as deeply as he can for a-15second interval. The volume of air moved out is collected in a Douglas bag and then measured by displacing it into spirometer. Each subject exercised on a bicycle ergometer with incremental loads until the maximum is reached at exhaustion. Work output attained is calculated from a record of the number of revolutions and loads employed.work capacity was expressed in watts.

Statistical analysis was done using unpaired t test. There was a signicant increase in Vital capacity and Maximum Volunatary ventilation post exercise in Group A(males) as compared to Group B(females) and the increase in Respiratory minute volume between Group A and Group B was not staistically significant.

The increase in Vital capacity and Maximum voluntary ventilation was more in males compared to females after exercise.