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Pulmonary Function Tests

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Dual Test Gas Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity Measurement During Exercise in Humans Using the Single-Breath Method

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Pulmonary function test quality in the elderly: a comparison with younger adults.

Jeffrey M Haynes¹

¹Pulmonary Function Laboratory, St Joseph Hospital, Nashua, New Hampshire.

Respiratory Care

|June 27, 2013

Summary

Elderly patients achieve high-quality spirometry and diffusion capacity (DLCO) test results comparable to younger adults. This indicates pulmonary function testing is reliable for older individuals.

Keywords:

diffusing capacity pulmonary function tests spirometry test quality

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Area of Science:

Pulmonary Medicine
Geriatric Medicine
Diagnostic Testing

Background:

Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are underutilized in elderly patients, potentially leading to misdiagnosis and suboptimal treatment.
Quality expectations for PFTs in older adults may be lower, impacting clinical decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

To assess if elderly patients (≥80 years) can achieve spirometry and diffusion capacity (DLCO) quality scores comparable to younger adults (40-50 years).

Main Methods:

Retrospective review of PFT data over 22 months.
Comparison of spirometry and DLCO quality scores between an elderly group (≥80 years) and a younger control group (40-50 years).

Main Results:

Spirometry acceptability and reproducibility criteria were met by 92.6% of the elderly group and 91.5% of the control group (P = .84).
DLCO acceptability and reproducibility criteria were met by 84.9% of the elderly group and 88.5% of the control group (P = .45).

Conclusions:

Elderly patients referred to a hospital PFT lab achieve comparable spirometry and DLCO quality scores to younger adults.
These findings support the reliable use of PFTs in the geriatric population for accurate diagnosis and treatment.