Pulmonary function testing: guidelines for medical surveillance and epidemiological studies

This chapter emphasizes spirometry guidelines for conducting medical surveillance and epidemiological studies beyond those addressed by the 1987 American Thoracic Society Spirometry Update. These guidelines include specific recommendations concerning testing equipment, test performance, quality control, and technician training. Use of these guidelines should help ensure that changes in lung function over time and/or from certain exposures can be correctly interpreted and analyzed without reservation regarding their accuracy and quality.