title: Is forced oscillation technique useful in the diagnosis of occupational asthma?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to determine whether the forced oscillation technique (FOT), which does not require active cooperation, may be useful to assess bronchial responsiveness in patients with suspected occupational asthma (OA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Changes in resistances evaluated by FOT, and DeltaFEV1 measured during methacholine challenge test were compared in 77 adults referred for suspected OA. Spearman correlations and ROC curves were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  R0 at the final dose of methacholine (R0hmd) and DeltaR0 were strongly correlated with DeltaFEV1 (p < 0.001). The ROC curves showed that R0hmd >or= 240% predicted was the best cut-off value to discriminate subjects with OA from nonasthmatic subjects (sensitivity: 80%, specificity: 76%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FOT can be proposed as an alternative method for the assessment of bronchial responsiveness in subjects with suspected OA, unable to correctly perform forced expiratory maneuvers.
authors.affiliation: Unité de pathologie professionnelle et de santé au travail, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France. alexis.descatha@rpc.aphp.fr
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Descatha
authors.forename: Claudine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fromageot
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ameille
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lejaille
authors.forename: Line
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Falaize
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lofaso
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012372:ROC Curve; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D016210:Methacholine Chloride