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Updated: Nov 1, 2025
Conducting Respiratory Oscillometry in an Outpatient Setting
Published on: April 8, 2022
Intrabreath oscillometry is a sensitive test for assessing disease control in adults with severe asthma
Joseane Chiabai1, Frederico Orlando Friedrich2, Morgana Thaís Carollo Fernandes2
1Department of Pediatrics, Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil.
Background:
Asthma control is not well reflected by spirometry, yet this is the most frequently used measure of lung function in asthma clinics. Oscillometry is an alternative technique suitable for those with severe asthma.
Objective:
To investigate usefulness of oscillometry in subjects with severe asthma to determine which outcome variables best reflected asthma control.
Methods:
Adults with severe asthma were recruited from a severe asthma clinic in Brazil. Oscillometry (conventional multifrequency measurements between 6 and 32 Hz; intrabreath tracking at 8 Hz) and spirometry were performed. Asthma control was determined by the asthma control test.
Results:
A total of 60 adults were evaluated; mean age was 56.7 years. There was predominance of women (82%), and most patients (63%) reported onset of asthma symptoms in childhood or adolescence. There were no differences between controlled and uncontrolled asthma in spirometry. Uncontrolled asthma was associated with higher resistance (at 8 and 10 Hz) and more negative reactance (for 6, 8, and 10 Hz) (P < .05) on conventional oscillometry. Intrabreath oscillometry revealed significant differences between controlled and uncontrolled patients with asthma (P < .01 for changes in resistance and reactance between end expiration and end inspiration). The accuracy of the lung function tests in discriminating between controlled and uncontrolled asthma was higher for intrabreath variables (area under the curve = 0.65-0.72).
Conclusion:
Oscillometry, particularly the intrabreath technique, better reflected asthma control than spirometry measures. Our findings suggest that oscillometry may be a useful technique to aid management of severe asthma, with a potential to reflect loss of disease control.
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