Single breath counting technique to assess pulmonary function: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Medicine
• Diagnostic Techniques
• Respiratory Physiology

Background:

• Traditional Vital Capacity (VC) measurement requires specialized, costly equipment and trained professionals, limiting accessibility.
• The single breath counting technique (SBCT) offers a potential low-cost, portable alternative for assessing respiratory function.
• Understanding lung disease pathophysiology can be aided by accessible methods for evaluating VC.

Approach:

• A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted, searching major databases until January 2023.
• Eleven studies were included to assess the correlation between SBCT and VC.
• Methodological quality and risk of bias were evaluated using established tools.

Key Points:

• A correlation between SBCT and VC was found in nine studies: weak in healthy individuals, moderate in neuromuscular conditions, and strong in hospitalized patients.
• SBCT demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy in specific patient groups (e.g., Sensitivity=94%, Specificity=77% for a VC threshold in hospitalized patients).
• Good intra- and inter-examiner reproducibility was observed across different age groups.

Conclusions:

• SBCT is a viable alternative for VC assessment when specialized equipment is unavailable.
• A clear relationship exists between SBCT and VC, especially in individuals with neuromuscular diseases and hospitalized patients.
• Further validation studies with rigorous bias control are recommended to solidify SBCT's role in clinical practice.