Table. 1—

Indications for spirometry

Diagnostic

To evaluate symptoms, signs or abnormal laboratory tests

To measure the effect of disease on pulmonary function

To screen individuals at risk of having pulmonary disease

To assess pre-operative risk

To assess prognosis

To assess health status before beginning strenuous physical activity programmes

Monitoring

To assess therapeutic intervention

To describe the course of diseases that affect lung function

To monitor people exposed to injurious agents

To monitor for adverse reactions to drugs with known pulmonary toxicity

Disability/impairment evaluations

To assess patients as part of a rehabilitation programme

To assess risks as part of an insurance evaluation

To assess individuals for legal reasons

Public health

Epidemiological surveys

Derivation of reference equations

Clinical research