Airways resistance and specific conductance for the diagnosis of obstructive airways diseases.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Airway resistance (RAW) and specific airway conductance (sGAW) are measures that reflect the patency of airways. Little is known of the variability of these measures between different lung diseases. This study investigated the contribution of RAW and sGAW to a diagnosis of obstructive airways disease and their role in differentiating asthma from COPD.

Methods

976 subjects admitted for the first time to a pulmonary practice in Belgium were included. Clinical diagnoses were based on complete pulmonary function tests and supported by investigations of physicians' discretion. 651 subjects had a final diagnosis of obstructive diseases, 168 had another respiratory disease and 157 subjects had no respiratory disease (healthy controls).

Results

RAW and sGAW were si

SUBMITTER: Topalovic M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4509748 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature