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A new spirometric parameter in clinical pharmacology.
International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Therapy, and Toxicology
|September 1, 1983
Summary
A new spirometric parameter, the acceleration index (AI), offers a sensitive and rapid method for defining respiratory dysfunction and predicting bronchodilation in patients with severe airway obstruction.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Respiratory Physiology
Background:
- Traditional spirometric parameters offer limited overview of overall ventilatory function.
- Pharmacologic and epidemiologic research requires precise parameters for respiratory defects.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce a novel spirometric parameter, the acceleration index (AI).
- Evaluate AI's utility in assessing respiratory dysfunction and predicting bronchodilation.
Main Methods:
- Calculated AI as the product of FEV1 and MMEF.
- Applied AI to predict bronchodilation in two groups with severe airway flow limitations.
Main Results:
- AI provides a sensitive, inexpensive, and rapid definition of respiratory dysfunction.
- AI effectively predicts bronchodilation and defines bronchodilator activity limits.
- Basal AI < 1.000 L/s-1 suggests irreversible obstruction, likely emphysema.
Conclusions:
- AI is a valuable tool for screening respiratory dysfunction.
- AI aids in immediate prediction of airflow limitation reversibility.
- AI helps differentiate emphysema from reversible bronchospasm.