TY - JOUR T1 - Impact of frailty on interpretability of spirometry: The Rotterdam study JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 42 IS - Suppl 57 SP - P929 AU - Bastiaan Maes AU - Lies Lahousse AU - D.W. Loth AU - V.J.A. Verlinden AU - G. Ziere AU - M.C. Zillikens AU - A. Uitterlinden AU - F. Rivadeneira AU - H. Tiemeier AU - M.A. Ikram AU - G.F. Joos AU - A. Hofman AU - B.H. Stricker AU - G.G. Brusselle Y1 - 2013/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P929.abstract N2 - INTRODUCTIONChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common disease in the general population, especially among elderly. For COPD diagnosis, spirometry demonstrating an obstructive syndrome (FEV1/FVC<0.70 according to GOLD), is mandatory.AIMSWe evaluated the association of frailty and the capability of a participant to perform a high-quality spirometry according to ATS/ERS guidelines.METHODSThis study was part of the Rotterdam Study, a prospective population-based cohort study performed in subjects aged ≥55. Frailty was defined as meeting ≥3 of 5 established criteria for frailty, evaluating nutritional status, physical activity, mobility, strength and energy. Spirometry was classified as not interpretable when ATS/ERS criteria for acceptability/reproducibility were not met.RESULTSOf the 2730 subjects evaluated for frailty who visited the research centre for lung function measurement, 2487(91.1%) performed an interpretable spirometry and in 232(8.5%) subjects spirometry was not interpretable. 11(0.4%) subjects could not complete spirometry due to technical problems and were excluded. Compared to non-frail subjects(n=2564), frail elderly(n=155) had an almost threefold increased tendency to perform a spirometry which was not interpretable due to a lack of quality (OR 2.94;95%CI:1.93-4.47;p<0.001). Adjusted for sex and age, this risk of acquiring a non-interpretable spirometry in frail subjects remained statistically significant (OR 1.69;95%CI:1.08-2.64;p=0.021).CONCLUSIONSThis prospective study in a general elderly population indicates that frail persons have more difficulties in performing a high-quality lung function test. This observation might indicate underdiagnosis of COPD in this group. ER -