Has the pandemic changed the test quality of the pulmonary function test laboratory?

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: Pulmonary function tests are used in the evaluation of the respiratory system. Maneuvers during spirometry can create aerosols and cause the spread of microbiological agents such as SARS-CoV-2 virus. The measures taken due to the pandemic can negatively affect both the number and the quality of the spirometry. There are no comparative studies on this subject.

Methods: The tests conducted in the spirometry laboratory of Baskent University Hospital during November 2019 and November 2021 were evaluated and compared by 2 chest specialists.

Results: A total of 440 patients were included in the study. 50.5% of patients were male and the average age was 61.8±16.5 years. The age, gender, height and weight of the patients were similar. 75.2% (331) of the tests were evaluated as successful. The most common errors in tests evaluated as erroneous were early termination (84.1%), uncooperative patients (29%) and poor effort (22.4%). The median number of tests performed for each patient was 6. Test numbers were 262 and 178 for 2019 and 2021 (p=0.011), but test success remained unchanged over the years (p=0.513). The type of errors were not different between the two periods. There was no significant difference between the 3 operators who conducted the tests and the test success (p=0.909), which was similar for both periods. However, the number of tests performed between the two periods until the successful maneuver varied significantly (p=0.009) and fewer maneuvers were required in 2021.

Conclusion: As a result, the spirometry quality did not change with the measures of pandemic,but the decrease in number of patients significantly reduced the number of tests performed until the successful maneuver.