Re: Spirometry vs. peak flow in COPD

“Mild” COPD: What Spirometry Conceals!

Peak flowmeter resistance decreases peak expiratory flow in subjects with COPD.

Previous studies have shown that the added resistance of a mini-Wright peak expiratory flow (PEF) meter reduced PEF by approximately 8% in normal subjects because of gas compression reducing thoracic gas volume at PEF and thus driving elastic recoil pressure. We undertook a body plethysmographic study in 15 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), age 65.9 +/- 6.3 yr (mean +/...

Spirometry in chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD).

Introduction T common criterion recommended for diagnosis of chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) is demonstration of “progressive irreversible airway obstruction” on spirometry. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (GOLD) has recommended spirometry as the gold standard for diagnosis of COPD. However, spirometry is not widely available and spirometric test results ...

Reference values for peak flow and FEV1 variation in healthy schoolchildren using home spirometry.

Current reference values for diurnal peak flow variation in healthy children (median 8.2%; 95th percentile 31%) are so high that considerable overlap exists with those of asthmatic children. These values have been obtained using written peak flow diaries, which are unreliable. The aim of the present study was to obtain reliable reference values for the variation in peak flow and forced expirato...

Peak flow lability: association with asthma and spirometry in an older cohort.

OBJECTIVE To determine the success rate and correlates of ambulatory peak expiratory flow (PEF) monitoring in an epidemiologic study. DESIGN An observational survey. SETTING Several communities in California. PARTICIPANTS We studied 1,223 nonsmoking men and women (mean age, 66 years) from an established cohort. OUTCOME MEASURES A standard respiratory symptoms and diagnoses questionnaire...