Spirometry guidelines influence lung function results in a longitudinal study of young adults.
BACKGROUND
End of test criteria can influence spirometry results. Epidemiology studies initiated before adoption of the 1987 American Thoracic Society (ATS) guidelines typically used a 1 or 2 s plateau on the volume-time curve, not a minimum test duration of 6 s, to terminate a test.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of changing guidelines on FEV(1), FVC and FEV(1)/FVC during a longitudinal study of young adults.


METHODS
Spirometry was performed on participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Values obtained at entry and 2, 5 and 10 years later using accepted procedures were re-evaluated using the 2005 ATS-ERS guidelines, which were in effect for the year 20 exam. Generalized estimating equations were used to adjust tests with short exhalations that were acceptable by then current end of test criteria.


RESULTS
The percentage of participants at years 0, 2, 5, and 10 with exhalations less than 6 s but with an acceptable plateau was 33%, 29%, 9%, and 2%, respectively. Exhalations less than 6 s occurred more frequently in younger and female participants, and were associated with lower FVC and higher FEV(1)/FVC. For short exhalations the adjusted FVC was 47 ml and 110 ml higher than the measured FVC when 6 and 8 s exhalation times were used.


CONCLUSIONS
In longitudinal studies of young adults, changing end of test criteria may affect lung function, especially among younger and female participants. Determining adjusted values for tests with short exhalations may better represent the lung health of participants.
Smith
Lewis J
LJ
Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. ljsmith@northwestern.edu
Arynchyn
Alexander
A
Kalhan
Ravi
R
Williams
O Dale
OD
Jensen
Robert
R
Crapo
Robert
R
Jacobs
David R
DR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D012016:Reference Values; D013147:Spirometry / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult