title: Spirometry quality in adults with very severe lung function impairment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some technologists worry that patients with very severe lung disease are unable to complete several spirometry maneuvers, which require considerable effort.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively selected all spirometry tests with an FEV1 < 35% predicted done by adult subjects sent to our pulmonary function laboratory during a 3-y period. We determined the rates and correlates of poor quality test sessions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 90% of the tests done by the 558 subjects with very severe lung-function impairment (of > 30,000 subjects tested during the 3-y period) had adequate quality spirometry. Subjects with airway obstruction were less likely to meet FVC repeatability goals. A poor spirometry quality grade was associated with a very low FVC and a low body mass index, but not older age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severe lung disease should not be used as an excuse for not meeting spirometry quality goals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Physiology, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas," Tlalpan luistorreb@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Torre-Bouscoulet
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Physiology, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas," Tlalpan.
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Velázquez-Uncal
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Therapy, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas," Tlalpan.
authors.forename: Rogelio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García-Torrentera
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Physiology, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas," Tlalpan.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gochicoa-Rangel
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Social Sciences, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas," Tlalpan, México.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fernández-Plata
authors.affiliation: University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Enright
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Physiology, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas," Tlalpan.
authors.forename: Rogelio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pérez-Padilla
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000503:physiopathology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013147:Spirometry / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology
keywords: lung function; quality control; respiratory impairment; spirometry