🫁How to interpret pulmonary function tests ??🫁
I'm not a pulmonologist but have to deal with a fair share ILDs,
here's a simple approach useful in the clinic especially for non pulmonary specialists
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#MedTwitter #RheumTwitter #MedEd
1️⃣Is the test valid?
You need to check for three things
🌬️ Effort
✅The time volume curve forms a plateau in 1-2 seconds
✅ sustained expiration for 6 seconds!
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➰Flow loops
✅ for artefacts/abnormalities 📷⤵️
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🔁 two readings
✅The two FEV1 & FVC values within 0.2L of each other
✅✅✅Also, always check if the age, weight, height etc have been correctly entered!
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2️⃣First see the FEV1/FVC ratio
If ⏬
3️⃣ Check FVC
⏬FEV1/FVC, Normal FVC
"obstructive"
⏬FEV1/FVC, ⏬ FVC
"mixed pattern"
⬇️
↩️Check reversibility (⏫ by 12% or 200ml)
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2️⃣Go back to FEV1/FVC ratio
If normal,
3️⃣ Look at FVC
Normal FEV1/FVC, ⏬FVC
"restrictive'
⬇️
Check DLCO
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Summary 📊
&
References
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34949706/
aafp.org/pubs/afp/issue…
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@DrPujaMehta1 correct me if I'm wrong!
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