Spirometric diagnosis of upper airway obstruction. 1983

G R Owens, and D M Murphy

We evaluated the results of routine spirometry in patients with well-documented upper airway obstruction (UAO) to determine if this readily available form of pulmonary function testing could reliably identify patients with this abnormality. Our results indicate that, although individual standard spirometric indexes could not identify these patients, ratios derived from these indexes provided excellent discrimination between patients with UAO and patients with a variety of lung diseases. A ratio of maximal voluntary ventilation to forced expiratory volume in 1 s of less than 25 was present in ten (66%) of 15 patients with UAO and only one (1%) of 100 comparison patients. A ratio of forced inspiratory flow between 25% and 75% of the vital capacity to forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of the vital capacity of less than 1 was found in 12 (80%) of 15 patients with UAO, but in only four (4%) of 100 comparison patients. All patients with UAO had one ratio abnormal. We conclude that spirometry remains a valuable procedure in the diagnosis of UAO.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008173 Lung Diseases, Obstructive Any disorder marked by obstruction of conducting airways of the lung. AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION may be acute, chronic, intermittent, or persistent. Obstructive Lung Diseases,Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases,Lung Disease, Obstructive,Obstructive Lung Disease,Obstructive Pulmonary Disease,Pulmonary Disease, Obstructive,Pulmonary Diseases, Obstructive
D008451 Maximal Voluntary Ventilation Measure of the maximum amount of air that can be breathed in and blown out over a sustained interval such as 15 or 20 seconds. Common abbreviations are MVV and MBC. Maximal Breathing Capacity,MVV (Ventilation),Breathing Capacities, Maximal,Breathing Capacity, Maximal,Capacities, Maximal Breathing,Capacity, Maximal Breathing,Maximal Breathing Capacities,Maximal Voluntary Ventilations,Ventilation, Maximal Voluntary,Ventilations, Maximal Voluntary,Voluntary Ventilation, Maximal,Voluntary Ventilations, Maximal
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009468 Neuromuscular Diseases A general term encompassing lower MOTOR NEURON DISEASE; PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES; and certain MUSCULAR DISEASES. Manifestations include MUSCLE WEAKNESS; FASCICULATION; muscle ATROPHY; SPASM; MYOKYMIA; MUSCLE HYPERTONIA, myalgias, and MUSCLE HYPOTONIA. Amyotonia Congenita,Oppenheim Disease,Cramp-Fasciculation Syndrome,Fasciculation-Cramp Syndrome, Benign,Foley-Denny-Brown Syndrome,Oppenheim's Disease,Benign Fasciculation-Cramp Syndrome,Benign Fasciculation-Cramp Syndromes,Cramp Fasciculation Syndrome,Cramp-Fasciculation Syndromes,Fasciculation Cramp Syndrome, Benign,Fasciculation-Cramp Syndromes, Benign,Foley Denny Brown Syndrome,Neuromuscular Disease,Oppenheims Disease,Syndrome, Cramp-Fasciculation,Syndrome, Foley-Denny-Brown,Syndromes, Cramp-Fasciculation
D005069 Evaluation Studies as Topic Works about studies that determine the effectiveness or value of processes, personnel, and equipment, or the material on conducting such studies. Critique,Evaluation Indexes,Evaluation Methodology,Evaluation Report,Evaluation Research,Methodology, Evaluation,Pre-Post Tests,Qualitative Evaluation,Quantitative Evaluation,Theoretical Effectiveness,Use-Effectiveness,Critiques,Effectiveness, Theoretical,Evaluation Methodologies,Evaluation Reports,Evaluation, Qualitative,Evaluation, Quantitative,Evaluations, Qualitative,Evaluations, Quantitative,Indexes, Evaluation,Methodologies, Evaluation,Pre Post Tests,Pre-Post Test,Qualitative Evaluations,Quantitative Evaluations,Report, Evaluation,Reports, Evaluation,Research, Evaluation,Test, Pre-Post,Tests, Pre-Post,Use Effectiveness
D005541 Forced Expiratory Volume Measure of the maximum amount of air that can be expelled in a given number of seconds during a FORCED VITAL CAPACITY determination . It is usually given as FEV followed by a subscript indicating the number of seconds over which the measurement is made, although it is sometimes given as a percentage of forced vital capacity. Forced Vital Capacity, Timed,Timed Vital Capacity,Vital Capacity, Timed,FEVt,Capacities, Timed Vital,Capacity, Timed Vital,Expiratory Volume, Forced,Expiratory Volumes, Forced,Forced Expiratory Volumes,Timed Vital Capacities,Vital Capacities, Timed,Volume, Forced Expiratory,Volumes, Forced Expiratory
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D000402 Airway Obstruction Any hindrance to the passage of air into and out of the lungs. Choking,Airway Obstructions,Obstruction, Airway,Obstructions, Airway

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