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The validity of the GLI-2021 norms for SLVs in healthy Algerian adults has not been assessed. To ascertain how well do the GLI-2021 norms fit to contemporary SLVs data in Algerian adults. This was a cross-sectional study involving 481 (n = 242 females) healthy non-smoking adults recruited from the Algiers general population. All participants underwent a clinical examination and a plethysmography. Z-scores for slow vital capacity (SVC), functional residual capacity (FRC), residual volume (RV), total lung capacity (TLC), expiratory reserve volume (ERV), inspiratory capacity (IC), and RV/TLC were calculated. The mean difference between the determined and the predicted values (∆value) of SLVs were calculated. The GLI-2021 norms would be considered as reflective of contemporary Algerian SLVs if the total sample mean z-scores were in the normal range ( ie ; -0.5 to +0.5). The participants' means ± SDs of age and height were 46.4 ± 16.4 years and 166 ± 10 cm, respectively. The determined SLVs were significantly different from those predicted (∆values means ± SDs were -170 ± 470 ml for IC, -100 ± 490 ml for SVC, 170 ± 400 ml for ERV, 240 ± 620 ml for TLC, 370 ± 340 ml for RV, 480 ± 480 ml for FRC, and 5.28 ± 4.38% for RV/TLC). The means ± SDs z-scores for IC, SVC, ERV, and TLC were in the normal range (-0.29 ± 0.88, -0.17 ± 0.94, 0.29 ± 0.77, and 0.35 ± 0.86, respectively), but those of RV, FRC, and RV/TLC were out of the normal range (0.74 ± 0.66, 0.75 ± 0.72, and 0.83 ± 0.75, respectively). In healthy Algerian adults, the GLI-2021 norms fit well to SVC, TLC, ERV, and IC, but they do not fit to FRC, RV, and RV/TLC.

Background: The analysis of the clinical and radiological characteristics of COVID-19 patients around the world observed a rich semiology, different from one country to another, and within the same country., Aim: To analyze the clinical, computed tomography (CT) features, and the outcome of patients suspected of COVID-19 hospitalized in a COVID-19 unit of Oran university hospital (Algeria)., Methods: We collected retrospectively the files of patients suspected of COVID-19 admitted in a COVID-19 unit during July 2020. Data were collected on standardized questionnaire with prior coding of parameters. Patients were admitted according to a triage based on their clinical situation and the chest CT aspects suggestive of COVID-19. Two physicians reviewed the high-resolution CT (HR-CT) images independently, and discrepancies were resolved by consensus with the input of two others experimented physicians., Results: 112 patients (64% males, median age: 68 (18-88) years) were included. The main symptoms were dyspnea (51.7%), cough (34%), fatigue (14%). Almost the half (49.1%) of patients had hypoxemia. The HR-CT findings were typical of COVID-19 in 96% of patients. Although 61% of patients had favorable prognosis, mortality rate was 30%. Mutlivariate analysis of risk factors for death showed that patients aged > 60 years had a 4-fold risk of death (95% confidence interval: [1.27-12.58], p=0.018)., Conclusion: Dyspnea, cough and fatigue were predominant symptoms, moderate and severe COVID-19 characterized our patients. Age > 60 years was a major risk factor for the deaths of our patients.

Background: Studies evaluating the impacts of parity on LFD of healthy females presented controversial conclusions., Aim: To compare the LFD of healthy females broken down according to their parities., Methods: A medical questionnaire was administered and anthropometric data were determined. Two groups [G1 (n = 34): ≤ 6; G2 (n = 32): > 6] and three classes [C1 (n = 15): 1-4; C2 (n = 28): 5-8; C3 (n = 23): 9-14] of parities were identified. LFD (plethysmography, specific airway resistance (sRaw)] were determined. Student's t-test and ANOVA test with post-Hoc test were used to compare the two groups' and the three classes' data., Results: G1 and G2 were age and height matched; however, compared to G1, G2 had a lower body mass index (BMI). C1, C2 and C3 were height, weight and BMI matched; however, compared to C2, C3 was older. G1 and G2 had similar values of FEV1, forced- and slow- vital capacities (FVC, SVC), maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF), forced expiratory flow at x% of FVC (FEFx%), peak expiratory flow (PEF), expiratory and inspiratory reserve volumes (ERV, IRV, respectively), inspiratory capacity (IC), sRaw, FEV1/FVC, FEV1/SVC, and residual volume/total lung capacity (RV/TLC). The three classes had similar values of MMEF, FEFx%, PEF, thoracic gas volume (TGV), ERV, IRV, FEV1/FVC, FEV1/SVC and RV/TLC. Compared to G1, G2 had higher TGV (2.68±0.43 vs. 3.00±0.47 L), RV (1.80±0.29 vs. 2.04±0.33 L) and TLC (4.77±0.62 vs. 5.11±0.67 L). Compared to C1, C2 had higher FEV1 (2.14±0.56 vs. 2.47±0.33 L), FVC (2.72±0.65 vs. 3.19±0.41 L), SVC (2.74±0.61 vs. 3.24±0.41 L), TLC (4.47±0.59 vs. 5.10±0.58 L), IC (1.92±0.41 vs. 2.34±0.39 L) and sRaw (4.70±1.32 vs. 5.75±1.18 kPa*s). Compared to C1, C3 had higher TLC (4.47±0.59 vs. 5.05±0.68 L) and RV (1.75±0.29 vs. 2.04±0.30 L)., Conclusion: Increasing parity induced a tendency towards lung-hyperinflation., Competing Interests: Helmi BEN SAAD reports personal fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, INPHA-MEDIS, Teriak, Chiesi, SAIPH and HIKMA. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. The remaining authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest concerning this article.

Introduction: The validity of the published plethysmographic reference equations specific to adults living in Eastern Algeria (RE-EA) in the interpretation of spirometric results in adult natives of Northern Algeria has not been assessed., Aim: To test the application of the RE-EA (Constantine, mean altitude=694m) to a population of healthy adults living in Algiers (mean altitude=153m)., Methods: The plethysmographic parameters of 453 healthy adults living in Algiers (234 women; age: 45±15 years, height: 1.66±0.10m, weight: 73±14kg) were determined and were compared with those predicted from the RE-EA. In addition, the percentages of adults with an obstructive ventilatory defect (OVD), a restrictive ventilatory defect (RVD) and/or lung hyperinflation were noted. The RE-EA are considered inapplicable to healthy adults living in Algiers if, firstly, the differences between the determined and predicted plethysmographic parameters are statistically significant and, secondly, more than 5% of healthy adults have OVD and/or RVD and/or lung hyperinflation., Results: The RE-EA significantly overestimated the following parameters: FEV1 by 0.27±0.39L, MMEF by 0.52±0.75L/s, FEF25% by 0.75±0.56L/s, FEF50% by 0.85±1.02L/s, FEF75% by 0.28±1.25L/s, VC by 0.21±0.50L, TLC by 0.31±0.62L, ERV by 0.06±0.48L, IC by 0.27±0.48L, FEV1/VC by 0.03±0.05, and FEV1/FVC by 0.03±0.05. They significantly underestimated the RV/TLC by 0.01±0.05. Moreover, 14.35 %, 8.83 % and 5.74 % of healthy adults had OVD, RVD and lung hyperinflation, respectively., Conclusion: The RE-EA are not applicable in adult natives of Northern Algeria., (Copyright © 2019 SPLF. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: The validation of the multi-ethnic GLI-2012 spirometric norms has been debated in several countries. However, its applicability in Algeria has not been verified., Aim: To ascertain how well the GLI-2012 norms fit contemporary adult Algerian spirometric data., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of a convenience sample of 300 healthy non-smoker adults (50% men, age range: 18-85 years) recruited from the Algiers region general population. All participants underwent a clinical examination and a plethysmography measurement. Z-scores for some spirometric data [FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC and forced expiratory flow at 25-75% of FVC (FEF25-75%)] were calculated. If the average Z-score deviated by "< ± 0.5" from the overall mean, the GLI-2012 norms would be considered as reflective of contemporary Algerian spirometry., Results: The means±SDs of age, height, weight, FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC and FEF25-75% of the participants were, respectively, 48±17 years, 1.65±0.10 m, 73±14 kg, 4.04±1.04 L, 3.18±0.82 L, 0.79±0.05 and 4.09±1.09 L/s. Almost the quarter of participants were obese. The total sample means±SDs Z-scores were 0.22±0.87 for FVC, 0.04±0.88 for FEV1, -0.34±0.67 for FEV1/FVC and 0.93±0.79 for FEF25-75%. For men and women, only the means±SDs of the FEF25-75% Z-scores exceeded the threshold of "± 0.5", respectively, 1.13±0.77 and 0.73±0.76., Conclusion: Results of the present study, performed in an Algerian population of healthy non-smoking adults, supported the applicability of the GLI-2012 norms to interpret FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC but not the FEF25-75%., Competing Interests: HBS reports personal fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, INPHA-MEDIS and Chiesi. This does not alter the authors’ adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. The remaining authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest concerning this article.

Background: The applicability of the recent multi-ethnic reference equations derived by the ERS Global Lung Initiative (ERS/GLI) in interpreting spirometry data in North African adult subjects has not been studied., Objective: To ascertain how well the recent ERS/GLI reference equations fit contemporary adult Tunisian spirometric data., Population and Methods: Spirometric data were recorded from 1192 consecutive spirometry procedures in adults aged 18-60 years. Reference values and lower limits of normality (LLN) were calculated using the local and the ERS/GLI reference equations. Applied definitions: large airway obstructive ventilatory defect (LAOVD): FEV1/FVC < LLN. Tendency to a restrictive ventilatory defect (TRVD): FEV1 and FVC < LLN and FEV1/FVC ≥ LLN. The spirometric profile, according to the two reference equations, was determined. Z-scores for spirometry from North African healthy subjects (n = 489) were calculated. If the average Z-score deviated by <± 0.5 from the overall mean, the ERS/GLI reference equations would be considered as reflective of contemporary Tunisian spirometry., Results: Using Tunisian reference equations, 71.31%, 6.71% and 19.04% of spirometry records were interpreted as normal, and as having, LAOVD and TRVD, respectively. Using the ERS/GLI reference equations, these figures were respectively, 85.82%, 4.19% and 8.39%. The mean ± SD Z-scores for the contemporary healthy North African subject's data were -0.55 ± 0.87 for FEV1, -0.62 ± 0.86 for FVC and 0.10 ± 0.73 for FEV1/FVC., Conclusion: The present study don't recommend the use of the recent ERS/GLI reference equations to interpret spirometry in North African adult population., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Spirometry play an important role in diagnosing obstructive lung disease, assessing the severity of lung disease, monitoring treatment of patients with respiratory disorders, and allocating patients to treatment groups in drug intervention studies. Since spirometric lung function depends on body size, age, gender and ethnic group, reference equations derived from healthy individuals are imperative for interpreting results., Aim: To assess the need for spirometric norms for children 5 to 16 years old and living in Constantine (Eastern region of Algeria)., Methods: Anthropometric and spirometric data were measured in 208 healthy children (101 girls) living in Constantine (649 m above sea level)., Results: Published reference equations did not reliably predict measured spirometric data in Constantinian children. Combination of gender, age, height, weight, body mass index and body surface area explained between 69% and 94% of the spirometric data variability's. FEV1/FVC ratio [means±SD (5th percentiles) were0.91±0.06 (0.80) for boys and 0.90±0.06 (0.81) for girls] was not included in the regression because of its relative independence of anthropometric data. The mean±SD of the forced expiratory time was 2.44±0.74 s and only 27% of children reached the threshold of ³ 3 s. In an additional group of 24 children prospectively studied, the agreement between measured and predicted FEV1 was satisfactory., Conclusion: Our reliable spirometric reference equations provide a useful norm for the care of paediatric patients living in the Eastern region of Algeria. The present study enriches the World Bank of reference equations, from which physicians should choose according to where patients live and their ethnic background.

Introduction: The validity of using European reference equations in the interpretation of spirometry results in Algerian patients has not been assessed., Aims: (i) to establish Algerian spirometric reference equations and (ii) to compare them with European ones., Methods: A medical questionnaire was administered. Gender, age, height, weight, lean mass (LM), percentage of fat mass (%FM) and body mass index (BMI) were noted. Spirometric variables were measured using a body plethysmograph according to international guidelines. Simple and multiples linear regressions were performed. The measured forced expiratory volume (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and the ratio between FEV1 and slow vital capacity (FEV1/SVC) were compared with those predicted from European reference equations., Results: 273 healthy subjects (120 women) were included (age: 42+/-14 years; height: 1.69+/-0.10 m; weight: 74+/-13 kg; LM: 59+/-10 kg;%FM: 21+/-6%; BMI: 26+/-6 Kg.m-2). (i) Algerian reference equations explained 17% to 68% of the variability of parameters tested. (ii) The European reference equations significantly underestimated the measured FEV1, FVC and the FEV1/SVC ratio (respectively, 0.38+/-0.45 L, 0.36+/-0.55 L, and 0.01+/-0.06)., Conclusion: The use of Algerian spirometric reference equations should improve the accuracy of lung function interpretation in this population.