Comparison of spirometric thresholds in diagnosing smoking-related airflow obstruction.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is based on detection of airflow obstruction on spirometry. There is no consensus regarding using a fixed threshold to define airflow obstruction versus using the lower limit of normal (LLN) adjusted for age. We compared the accuracy and discrimination of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) recommended fixed ratio of forced expiratory volume in the first second/forced vital capacity<0.70 with LLN in diagnosing smoking-related airflow obstruction using CT-defined emphysema and gas trapping as the disease gold standard.

Methods

Data from a large multicentre study (COPDGene), which included current and former smokers (age range 45-80 years) with and without airflow obstruction, were anal

SUBMITTER: Bhatt SP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4146523 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature