Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (903 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
The volume of air that is exhaled by a maximal expiration following a maximal inspiration.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Capacities, Vital; Capacity, Vital; Vital Capacities; Forced Vital Capacity; Capacities, Forced Vital; Capacity, Forced Vital; Forced Vital Capacities; Vital Capacities, Forced.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Total Lung Capacity
- Narrower topics
- Expiratory Reserve Volume; Inspiratory Capacity
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 30,459 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Vital Capacity” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 4,424 of them (14.5%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 12,048 records.
Reviews account for 1,400 records (4.6%) and meta-analyses for 289. Randomized controlled trials number 2,928 (9.6%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up a comparatively large share of this literature, which means many treatment questions have been tested directly.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 12,048 |
| 2000-2009 | 5,889 |
| 2010-2019 | 8,098 |
| 2020 onward | 4,424 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 1,400 | 4.6% |
| Meta-analyses | 289 | 0.9% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 2,928 | 9.6% |
Method: PubMed query "Vital Capacity"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in anatomy and physiology
Anatomy describes how body structures are built and physiology describes how they normally work, so most findings here are descriptive or mechanistic rather than evidence about treatment. Much of what is known comes from dissection, imaging, tissue studies and experiments in animals, and measurements in healthy volunteers can differ from those in people with disease or at different ages. Normal ranges vary between individuals and populations. Check whether a result was measured in people or in another species, the age and health of the participants, and the method used.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
First Data on Efficacy and Safety of Nintedanib in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Forced Vital Capacity of ≤50 % of Predicted Value [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- In the Phase III INPULSIS(®) trials, 52 weeks' treatment with nintedanib reduced decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) versus placebo in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
- Closing excerpt
- The decline in FVC in INPULSIS(®)-ON in both subgroups by baseline FVC % predicted was similar to that in INPULSIS(®), suggesting that nintedanib may have a similar effect on disease progression in patients with advanced disease as in less advanced disease.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (132 words)
In the Phase III INPULSIS(®) trials, 52 weeks' treatment with nintedanib reduced decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) versus placebo in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Patients who completed the INPULSIS(®) trials could receive nintedanib in an open-label extension trial (INPULSIS(®)-ON). Patients with FVC 50 % predicted at the start of INPULSIS(®)-ON, the absolute mean change in FVC from baseline to week 48 of INPULSIS(®)-ON was -62.3 and -87.9 mL, respectively (n = 24 and n = 558, respectively). No new safety signals were identified in INPULSIS(®)-ON compared with INPULSIS(®). The decline in FVC in INPULSIS(®)-ON in both subgroups by baseline FVC % predicted was similar to that in INPULSIS(®), suggesting that nintedanib may have a similar effect on disease progression in patients with advanced disease as in less advanced disease.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 27377558 · DOI · PMC5031742
Evaluation of the global lung function initiative 2012 reference values for spirometry in a Swedish population sample [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundThe Global Lung Function Initiative 2012 (GLI) reference values are currently endorsed by several respiratory societies but evaluations of applicability for adults resident in European countries are lacking.
- Closing excerpt
- These results demonstrate the importance of validating the GLI reference values in different countries.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (234 words)
BackgroundThe Global Lung Function Initiative 2012 (GLI) reference values are currently endorsed by several respiratory societies but evaluations of applicability for adults resident in European countries are lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the GLI reference values are appropriate for an adult Caucasian Swedish population.MethodsDuring 2008-2013, clinical examinations including spirometry were performed on general population samples in northern Sweden, in which 501 healthy Caucasian non-smokers were identified. Predicted GLI reference values and Z-scores were calculated for each healthy non-smoking subject and the distributions and mean values for FEV1, FVC and the FEV1/FVC ratio were examined. The prevalence of airway obstruction among these healthy non-smokers was calculated based on the Lower Limit of normal (LLN) criterion (lower fifth percentile) for the FEV1/FVC ratio. Thus, by definition, a prevalence of 5% was expected.ResultsThe Z-scores for FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC were reasonably, although not perfectly, normally distributed, but not centred on zero. Both predicted FEV1 and, in particular, FVC were lower compared to the observed values in the sample. The deviations were greater among women compared to men. The prevalence of airway obstruction based on the LLN criterion for the FEV1/FVC ratio was 9.4% among women and 2.7% among men.ConclusionsThe use of the GLI reference values may produce biased prevalence estimates of airway obstruction in Sweden, especially among women. These results demonstrate the importance of validating the GLI reference values in different countries.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 25887050 · DOI · PMC4417328
A positron emission tomography imaging study to confirm target engagement in the lungs of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis following a single dose of a novel inhaled αvβ6 integrin inhibitor [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive lung disease with poor prognosis and a significant unmet medical need.
- Closing excerpt
- gov: NCT03069989; date of registration: 3 March 2017.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (334 words)
BackgroundIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive lung disease with poor prognosis and a significant unmet medical need. This study evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK) and target engagement in the lungs, of GSK3008348, a novel inhaled alpha-v beta-6 (αvβ6) integrin inhibitor, in participants with IPF.MethodsThis was a phase 1b, randomised, double-blind (sponsor unblind) study, conducted in the UK (two clinical sites, one imaging unit) between June 2017 and July 2018 (NCT03069989). Participants with a definite or probable diagnosis of IPF received a single nebulised dose of 1000 mcg GSK3008348 or placebo (ratio 5:2) in two dosing periods. In period 1, safety and PK assessments were performed up to 24 h post-dose; in period 2, after a 7-day to 28-day washout, participants underwent a total of three positron emission tomography (PET) scans: baseline, Day 1 (~ 30 min post-dosing) and Day 2 (~ 24 h post-dosing), using a radiolabelled αvβ6-specific ligand, [18F]FB-A20FMDV2. The primary endpoint was whole lung volume of distribution (VT), not corrected for air volume, at ~ 30 min post-dose compared with pre-dose. The study success criterion, determined using Bayesian analysis, was a posterior probability (true % reduction in VT > 0%) of ≥80%.ResultsEight participants with IPF were enrolled and seven completed the study. Adjusted posterior median reduction in uncorrected VT at ~ 30 min after GSK3008348 inhalation was 20% (95% CrI: - 9 to 42%). The posterior probability that the true % reduction in VT > 0% was 93%. GSK3008348 was well tolerated with no reports of serious adverse events or clinically significant abnormalities that were attributable to study treatment. PK was successfully characterised showing rapid absorption followed by a multiphasic elimination.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated engagement of the αvβ6 integrin target in the lung following nebulised dosing with GSK3008348 to participants with IPF. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time a target-specific PET radioligand has been used to assess target engagement in the lung, not least for an inhaled drug.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov: NCT03069989; date of registration: 3 March 2017.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 32216814 · DOI · PMC7099768
Real-Time Current Volume Estimation System from an Azure Kinect Camera in Pediatric Intensive Care: Technical Development [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Monitoring respiratory parameters is essential in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), yet bedside tidal volume (Vt) measurement is rarely performed due to the need for invasive airflow sensors.
- Closing excerpt
- Further clinical validation is ongoing.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (203 words)
Monitoring respiratory parameters is essential in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), yet bedside tidal volume (Vt) measurement is rarely performed due to the need for invasive airflow sensors. We present a real-time, non-contact respiratory monitoring system using the Azure Kinect DK (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA) depth camera, specifically designed for use in the PICU. The system automatically tracks thoracic volume variations to derive a comprehensive set of ventilator equivalent parameters: tidal volume, respiratory rate, minute ventilation, inspiratory/expiratory times, I:E ratio, and peak flows. Results are displayed via an ergonomic web interface for clinical use. This system introduces several innovations: real-time estimation of a complete set of respiratory parameters, a novel infrared-based region-of-interest detection method using YOLO-OBBs, enabling robust operation regardless of lighting conditions, even in total darkness, making it ideal for continuous monitoring of sleeping patients, and a pixel-wise 3D volume computation method that achieves a mean absolute error under 5% on tidal volume. The system was evaluated on both a healthy adult (compared to spirometry) and a critically ill child (compared to ventilator data). To our knowledge, this is the first study to validate such a contactless respiratory monitoring system on a non-intubated child in the PICU. Further clinical validation is ongoing.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40431860 · DOI · PMC12115343
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Intraoperative protective mechanical ventilation for prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications: a comprehensive review of the role of tidal volume, positive end-expiratory pressure, and lung recruitment maneuvers [5]
- Research article Meta-analysis of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome trials testing low tidal volumes [6]
- Research article Obesity and obstructive sleep apnoea: mechanisms for increased collapsibility of the passive pharyngeal airway [7]
- Research article The connection between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease symptoms and hyperinflation and its impact on exercise and function [8]
- Research article Prone positioning reduces mortality from acute respiratory distress syndrome in the low tidal volume era: a meta-analysis [9]
- Research article Genome-wide joint meta-analysis of SNP and SNP-by-smoking interaction identifies novel loci for pulmonary function [10]
References
- Wuyts WA, Kolb M, Stowasser S, Stansen W, Huggins JT, Raghu G. First Data on Efficacy and Safety of Nintedanib in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Forced Vital Capacity of ≤50 % of Predicted Value. . 2016. PMID 27377558 · DOI · PMC5031742
- Backman H, Lindberg A, Sovijärvi A, Larsson K, Lundbäck B, Rönmark E. Evaluation of the global lung function initiative 2012 reference values for spirometry in a Swedish population sample. . 2015. PMID 25887050 · DOI · PMC4417328
- Maher TM, Simpson JK, Porter JC, Wilson FJ, Chan R, Eames R, et al.. A positron emission tomography imaging study to confirm target engagement in the lungs of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis following a single dose of a novel inhaled αvβ6 integrin inhibitor. . 2020. PMID 32216814 · DOI · PMC7099768
- Chavernac F, Albert K, Huy HV, Ramachandran S, Noumeir R, Jouvet P. Real-Time Current Volume Estimation System from an Azure Kinect Camera in Pediatric Intensive Care: Technical Development. . 2025. PMID 40431860 · DOI · PMC12115343
- Güldner A, Kiss T, Serpa Neto A, Hemmes SN, Canet J, Spieth PM, et al.. Intraoperative protective mechanical ventilation for prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications: a comprehensive review of the role of tidal volume, positive end-expiratory pressure, and lung recruitment maneuvers. Anesthesiology. 2015. PMID 26120769 · DOI
- Eichacker PQ, Gerstenberger EP, Banks SM, Cui X, Natanson C. Meta-analysis of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome trials testing low tidal volumes. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2002. PMID 12406836 · DOI
- Isono S. Obesity and obstructive sleep apnoea: mechanisms for increased collapsibility of the passive pharyngeal airway. Respirology. 2012. PMID 22023094 · DOI
- Cooper CB. The connection between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease symptoms and hyperinflation and its impact on exercise and function. Am J Med. 2006. PMID 16996896 · DOI
- Beitler JR, Shaefi S, Montesi SB, Devlin A, Loring SH, Talmor D, et al.. Prone positioning reduces mortality from acute respiratory distress syndrome in the low tidal volume era: a meta-analysis. Intensive Care Med. 2014. PMID 24435203 · DOI · PMC3976426
- Hancock DB, Soler Artigas M, Gharib SA, Henry A, Manichaikul A, Ramasamy A, et al.. Genome-wide joint meta-analysis of SNP and SNP-by-smoking interaction identifies novel loci for pulmonary function. PLoS Genet. 2012. PMID 23284291 · DOI · PMC3527213
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.