Contributions to simplifying the global interpretation of spirometry: high quality spirometry data from Asia

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Spirometry is pivotal for the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of obstructive lung diseases, and to some extent, might even indicate restrictive lung diseases. Both flow–volume and volume–time curves, as well as absolute values, give important information, but reference values help to interpret whether the results confirm a suspected diagnosis or not. Spirometry is technically a rather complicated manoeuvre requiring a co-operative patient and a skilled technician to ensure acceptability and repeatability criteria are met.