title: Asthma Programme in Finland: the quality of primary care spirometry is good.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the quality of primary care spirometry by visual inspection of the flow-volume expiratory curve and to study the quantity of clinical information provided on the spirometry report sheets.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective audit of 868 expiratory flow-volume curves referred to three pulmonary clinics assessed against five predefined quality criteria. Clinical information included on the spirometry report sheets was also collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Quality was good in 78% of pre-bronchodilation curves and in 80% of post-bronchodilation curves. Obtaining a sharp PEF value and full vital capacity exhalation seemed to be the critical points of measurement. Inter-rater reliability of the curve assessment was mainly good. Data on where the spirometry took place, and comments on the use of respiratory medication and patient co-operation were often lacking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The quality of primary care spirometry was good. Adequate clinical information on the report sheets would further improve the quality of this diagnostic process.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Department, Seinajoki Central Hospital, Seinajoki, Finland. leena.tuomisto@gmail.com
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tuomisto
authors.forename: Vesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jarvinen
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laitinen
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erhola
authors.forename: Minna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaila
authors.forename: Pirkko
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brander
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005540:Forced Expiratory Flow Rates / Q000502:physiology; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013147:Spirometry; D055815:Young Adult