title: Quality of spirometric performance in older people.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma are major causes of hospitalisation and mortality among older patients but respiratory diseases are often under- or misdiagnosed because spirometry is not extensively used at this age.
  
  
  METHODS
  we examined 715 elderly subjects with respiratory symptoms; all underwent a spirometric test and were administered the Mini Mental State Examination, Activities of Daily Living, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and Geriatric Depression Scale questionnaires for cognitive, functional and effective evaluation. Their educational level and Body Mass Index were also taken into consideration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  a total of 585 patients (81.8%) were able to perform spirometry according to ATS'94 criteria while 130 (18.2%) were unable to do it. As regards educational level, Mini Mental State Examination, Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scores showed a significant difference (P<0.001) between the groups of patients with high-quality spirometries and those with inadequate ones. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of age, Body Mass Index or Geriatric Depression Scale score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the majority of elderly subjects can perform spirometry according to international guidelines; age itself cannot be considered a risk factor for a bad spirometric performance, but it becomes influential if it is associated with cognitive and functional impairment.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Department, University of Milano, Ospedale Maggiore IRCCS, Milano, Italy. DIMEP University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Licia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pezzoli
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giardini
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Consonni
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dallera
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bilotta
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrario
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cristina Sandrini
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Annoni
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vergani
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011786:Quality Control; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013147:Spirometry / Q000592:standards*; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology