title: Survey of clinical infant lung function testing practices.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data supporting the clinical use of infant lung function (ILF) tests are limited making the interpretation of clinical ILF measures difficult.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate current ILF testing practices and to survey users regarding the indications, limitations and perceived clinical benefits of ILF testing.
  
  
  METHODS
  We created a 26-item survey hosted on the European Respiratory Society (ERS) website between January and May 2010. Notifications were sent to members of the ERS, American Thoracic Society and the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology. Responses were sought from ILF laboratory directors and pediatric respirologists. The survey assessed the clinical indications, patient populations, equipment and reference data used, and perceived limitations of ILF testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We received 148 responses with 98 respondents having ILF equipment and performing testing in a clinical capacity. Centers in North America were less likely to perform ≥50 studies/year than centers in Europe or other continents (13% vs. 41%). Most respondents used ILF data to either "start a new therapy" (78%) or "help decide about initiation of further diagnostic workup such as bronchoscopy, chest CT or serological testing" (69%). Factors reported as limiting clinical ILF testing were need for sedation, uncertainty regarding clinical impact of study results and time intensive nature of the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical practices associated with ILF testing vary significantly; centers that perform more studies are more likely to use the results for clinical purposes and decision making. The future of ILF testing is uncertain in the face of the limitations perceived by the survey respondents.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Stacey L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Peterson-Carmichael
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosenfeld
authors.forename: Simon B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Ascher
authors.forename: Christoph P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Hornik
authors.forename: H G M
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Arets
authors.forename: Stephanie D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Graham L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D014943:Global Health; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: clinical practices; infant; pulmonary function; survey