Talk:Spirometry Information & Talk:Spirometry Links at HealthHaven.com

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hello, I find the information here really good. I was looking for the actual way that the %predicted scores were formed. I have think that it takes into accound height, age, gender, ethnicity/race. Matt (physiotherapy student)

could we have some normal ranges please? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.99.219.14 (talk) 13:48, 13 March 2008 (UTC)

Population studies differ on this point, due both to differences in the studies themselves, non-identical populations that are looked at, and the fact that different "races" actually are statistically different. Different does not imply "superior". The lung is an "optimal" organ. Any changes that make it better at one thing make it worse at another. % predicted is better thought of as % of average. 95% of healthy people will fall within a 40% range of values - or plus minus 20%. But if you have lungs that are 120% of average, and you loose 1/3 of your lung to disease, statistically, you are still within the normal statistical range (80%). Interpretation must take into account the patient's symptoms, and an x-ray or cat scan of the lung (conventional MRI's do not image the lung usefully). The primary determinant of normal lung size is height.

[edit] PEF - why so early?

Very nice article.

Does anyone know why is it that the PEF (peak expiratory flow) occurs so early?

expiration is due to the elastic forces of the lung. just like a baloon deinflates faster at the start, so do the lungs, since flow depends on the elastic surface tension of the lung.

[edit] Other pulmonary function tests

Anyone able to writ about other pulmonary function tests? I was interested in more information about DL_CO, and the differential diagnosis of abnormal values in the DL_CO. Ksheka 22:00, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Photo?

I've added photos of Peak Flow Meters to the Peak Flow Meter article. If it is relevant to this page, then please can someone add them here too? Thanks --Tomhannen 21:59, 25 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Can lung function scores be increased by exercises?

Hello, Great info in the article.... Is there a way for a person to increase FVC and FEV1 through some type of "lung exercises"? (January 2008) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.34.101.149 (talk) 13:20, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

To some extent yes - particularly activities which cause you to exercise your intercostal muscles and, as stronger intercostal muscles will improve your ability to force exhalation. Also, similar exercises cause your lungs to become more compliant thereby increasing their volume.

Ironically, one thing that has been proven to do both of these is smoking. Young smokers generally have superior FVC and FEV1 values, as having to forcibly suck air through a tiny cigarette filter is good exercise. However, in the long run smoking causes a world of damage to your respiratory system - so is definitely not worth the trade off as for most people this superior respiratory ability is short lived, and their lives end up being cut even shorter. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 118.92.208.254 (talk) 13:49, 31 October 2009 (UTC)

[edit] Spirometry Test Values and Flow-Volume Loop diagram

Hi, I have some confusion. From the table FEV "is the speed of the air moving out of your lungs at the beginning of the expiration, measured in liters per second." Shouldn't it be "is the PEAK speed of the air moving out of your lungs at the beginning of the expiration, measured in liters per second."? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Haimmelman (talk • contribs) 15:28, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

I do believe that it is correct as is. The term you are looking for is peak expiratory flow (PEF). Tyrol5 [Talk] 14:55, 20 April 2009 (UTC)

I believe you're getting FEV and FEV1 confused. FEV is the total volume, measured in liters (not litres per second), that your lungs can hold (not including dead space volume). FEV1 is the volume ejected after just one second, which is also measured in litres and not litres per second, which although it is indicative of a rate it is not the same thing as this is a measure of to total volume exhaled in 1 second which you could assume to be the same as the subjects exhilation rate per second, but as It is not guaranteed that the subject was exhaling at their peak rate for the entirety of that second you instead get something more line an average rate. Hence the distinction between FEV1 and PEF. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 118.92.208.254 (talk) 14:00, 31 October 2009 (UTC)

[edit] DLCO and TLC

Should not be in Spirometry page because they are not measurable by any spirometry test (FVC, SVC, MVV,..) They are measured by other PFT tests but not by spirometry.

--Toce (talk) 20:09, 25 October 2009 (UTC)