Extract
The standardisation of pulmonary function test (PFT) interpretation continues to develop based on available published evidence. In 2005, the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and European Respiratory Society (ERS) published standards for PFT interpretation [1], which were updated in 2021 [2]. New terminologies, such as complex restrictive and nonspecific patterns, were introduced. The use of individual z-scores was advocated to assess severity instead of percentage predicted values. The bronchodilator response (BDR) definition was also updated, which should now be estimated from a minimal change from reference values instead of a minimal proportional change from baseline values. Overall, PFTs should be used to classify pathophysiology rather than diagnose respiratory diseases, given the considerable variation of clinical PFT patterns.
Abstract
Introduced granularity results in a more accurate lung function description and may improve clinical practice, but at the price of complexity. This may have a significant impact on how clinicians classify their patients and may affect their interventions. https://bit.ly/3xIf1g3
Footnotes
Conflict of interest: P. Desbordes is a full time employee of ArtiQ NV. M. De Vos is a full time employee of ArtiQ NV, holds a research contract with J&J, and holds shares in mBrainTrain, Circadian Therapeutics and Albus Health. J. Maes is a full time employee of ArtiQ NV. F. de Jongh reports travel support from European Respiratory Society as Assessment Director of the ERS educational council. K. Sylvester reports lecture honoraria from Vyaire Ltd, outside the submitted work. C.F. Vogelmeier reports grants from German Ministery of Education and Science (BMBF), AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, CSL Behring, GlaxoSmithKline, Grifols and Novartis, consulting fees from Aerogen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, CSL Behring, Chiesi, GlaxoSmithKline, Insmed, Menarini, Novartis and Nuvaira, and lecture honoraria from Aerogen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, CSL Behring, Chiesi, GlaxoSmithKline, Insmed, Menarini and Novartis, outside the submitted work. W. Janssens reports grants and lecture honoraria from GSK, AstraZeneca and Chiesi, consulting fees from AstraZeneca and GSK, and travel support from Chiesi and AstraZeneca; and is a co-founder and shareholder of ArtiQ NV. M. Topalovic is a co-founder and full time employee of ArtiQ NV. The remaining authors disclose no potential conflicts of interest.
- Received September 15, 2022.
- Accepted February 20, 2023.
- Copyright ©The authors 2023. For reproduction rights and permissions contact permissions{at}ersnet.org
LIBRARY USERS
Log in through your institution
Purchase access
