Spirometry in healthy subjects: do technical details of the test procedure affect the results?

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Spirometry should follow strict quality criteria. The American Thoracic Society (ATS) recommends the use of a noseclip; however there are controversies about its need. ATS also indicates that tests should be done in the sitting position, but there are no recommendations neither about position of the upper limbs and lower limbs nor about who should hold the mouthpiece while performing the maneuvers: evaluated subject or evaluator.

Objectives

To compare noseclip use or not, different upper and lower limbs positions and who holds the mouthpiece, verifying if these technical details affect spirometric results in healthy adults.

Methods

One hundred and three healthy individuals (41 men; age: 47 [33-58] years; normal lung function: FEV₁/FVC = 83±5, FEV₁ = 94 [8

SUBMITTER: Sipoli L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4171496 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature