Spirometry test is only a portion of the prognosis

[Doug41]

Dear Doctor.

It is my understanding from researching on the internet that Spirometry test for COPD patients constitutes about 60 - 70% of the prognosis. I also read that other health factors need to be looked at  to come up with a better overall understanding of the severity of COPD in a  patient.

Is there an medical journal or article that explains the makeup of a proper COPD prognosis? Please point me to one.

[National Jewish Health]

If mortality is selected as the prognostic end point, then spirometrically documented loss of lung function, both absolute loss of lung function and rate of loss of lung function, expressed as ml/year is a major predictor.  While there is a strong correlation between spirometry and morbidity/mortality, the correlation is far from perfect.  Other variables such as amount of sputum produced, frequency of lung infection, with or without clinical exacerbation, state of mind, family support, the existence of co-morbid diseases, depression and amount of physical activity are also important.  In addition, intrinsic oxidant/anti-oxidant imbalance is believed to play a role.  Poor self-identity, isolation from others, lack of flexibility to varying conditions, in families with severe COPD can weaken the ability of patients and their families to manage, in everyday life.  We recommend that you visit the following web-sites for more detailed answers to your question.

http://www.goldcopd.com/
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/498648_3
http://www.thoracic.org/sections/publications/statements/pages/respiratory-disease-adults/copdexecsum.html
http://www.nationaljewish.org/disease-info/diseases/copd/index.aspx

[Doug41]

Thanks for the Article, I am actually looking for one that states that Spirometry is only a portion of the prognosis. The  situation I have it that a medical examiner is basing a Judgment of COPD severity completely on the FEV value in the spiromerty test and I would like to make him aware that other health factors are also important. I used to have an article that stated spirometry makes up about 60-70% of the prognosis.

[starion]

Here's one article that listst many of the factors in COPD prognosis.  http://patients.uptodate.com/topic.asp?file=copd/13322

Obeisity can cause other complications, which also affect health and mortality.

The patient's attitude can also make a big difference in the quality as well as the length of the patient's life.

Starion