Lung
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Although the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its relationship with respiratory symptoms are well documented, few studies have focused on individuals with normal lung function, particularly in developed regions of Asia. The purpose of this report is to examine the relationship between respiratory symptoms and FEV1 in a population-based sample of Korean men and women with normal lung function. Subjects comprised 7518 individuals aged 40-69 years without airflow obstruction based on spirometric testing and in the absence of a medical history of pulmonary disease. ⋯ Nonsmoking women also had a lower FEV1 in the presence of shortness of breath (overall, while at rest, and while walking uphill or at a usual pace, p < 0.001). Our findings suggest that respiratory symptoms are associated with a lower FEV1 in men and nonsmoking women with normal lung function. Whether respiratory symptoms can be used to identify individuals at risk for developing COPD needs further study.