Restrictive lung disease?
Your reply |
It is your opinion that an abnormally low TLC (total lung capacity) for body size is a hallmark of restrictive lung disease. |
- Caucasian male, age 54 yr, standing height 159 cm, non-smoker.
- breathless on exercise
- shortness of breath on exercise
- no wheezing, no chronic cough or phlegm.
Spirometry |
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| index | observed | predicted |
| FEV1 | 1.84 L | 3.00 L |
| FVC | 2.13 L | 3.75 L |
| FEV1%FVC | 69% | 78% |
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Splendid, there is nothing to add to that. In case you guessed,
go back to the question and click on one of the other alternatives. A general rule of thumb is that measurement of lung volumes should only be performed if FEV1%FVC > 55% and FVC%pred < 85%. This rule has a 96% sensitivity for predicting a low TLC and an 98% negative predictive power for excluding restriction (Glady). |
Prevalence of restrictive
disease and cost effectiveness of diagnostic procedures:
Aaron SD, Dales RE, Cardinal P. How accurate
is spirometry at predicting restrictive pulmonary impairment? Chest
1999; 115: 869-873.
Glady CA, Aaron SD, Lunau M, Clinch J, Dales RE. A spirometry-based algorithm to direct lung function testing in the pulmonary function laboratory. Chest 2003; 123: 1939–1946.
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