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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
PFT's
Answered by
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PFT's
by ozark, Oct 01, 2006 12:00AM
I had PFT's done with results that said I have mild restrictive disease. I was given a copy. My name was correct on the form but the gender said male but I am female. I don't know what the numbers mean. I'm assuming Ref means reference and those numbers would be for a male for my ht and wt. I was wondering if there's a big difference in reference pts. between male and female and would the results not truly reflect the status of my lung function. I'm 53 ht 68 in and wt 191. And if not, how bad are my results and is restrictive an upper airway problem? Can asthma/chronic bronchitis/smoking cause this? Thank you for your help
Ref Pre Meas Pre % Ref
FVC 4.69 3.09 66
FEV1 3.63 2.39 66
FEV1/FVC 77 77
FEF25-75 3.20 2.08 65
FEF50% 2.87
PEF 9.31 9.17 99
TLC 6.75 5.17 77
RV 2.18 2.08 95
RV/TLC 34 40
FRC N2 3.44
FRC PL 3.44 2.92 85
DLCO 25.5 22.6 89
DL Adj 22.6
DLCO/VA 4.12 4.95 120
DL/VA Adj 4.95
VA 4.57
Thank you for your time.
Ref Pre Meas Pre % Ref
FVC 4.69 3.09 66
FEV1 3.63 2.39 66
FEV1/FVC 77 77
FEF25-75 3.20 2.08 65
FEF50% 2.87
PEF 9.31 9.17 99
TLC 6.75 5.17 77
RV 2.18 2.08 95
RV/TLC 34 40
FRC N2 3.44
FRC PL 3.44 2.92 85
DLCO 25.5 22.6 89
DL Adj 22.6
DLCO/VA 4.12 4.95 120
DL/VA Adj 4.95
VA 4.57
Thank you for your time.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Oct 09, 2006 12:00AM
, Oct 09, 2006 12:00AM
The use of male reference numbers would not truly reflect the status of your lung function. This would make your lungs look worse than they really are. Your measured results could be at the lower limits of the female reference numbers, making them normal. You should ask the pulmonary function lab to re-run your actual results against the appropriate female reference numbers. Also, reference numbers for Blacks are generally lower than for Caucasians of similar height, age and gender.
thank you
Firstly a few points:
1. The person doing the test has to input your gender correctly. If they get this wrong the % predicted of the normal variant is meaningless. This could cause the machine to report restriction women have smaller lungs than men.
2. DCLO is always reduced in restricitive disease yours is normal.
3. Your FEV/FVC ratio is normal also, a true indicator of any abnormailty. in restrictive disease this is almost always well over 80.
Smoking and asthma are a no go area, take it from me, I know. Asthma is an obstructive disease not restricitive.
If you smoke stop.
Eros.