Pulmonary Function Tests in Asthma
Summary
Asthma is one of the most prevalent and
heterogenous disease entities . The prevalence of this disease is
different in various parts of the world; and is more prevalent in
developed , industrialiesed countries than under-developed places. In
IR-IRAN, according to few surveys with ISAAC protocol, the estimated
prevalence is between developed and under-developed countries . Due to
low sensitivity and specificity of symptoms and signs in diagnosis and
severity staging of asthma pulmonary function test are frequently used
for mainly:
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1) Diagnosis
of various subtypes of asthma,
2)
Differntial diagnosis of asthma from
other asthma-like, or overlapped conditions,
3) Severity
staging and monitoring of treatment response. |
Due to heterogenous nature of asthma,
and absence of single test for determination of all physiologic and
pathophysiologic events of respiratory system in asthmatics , a
stepwise approach is indicated for diagnosis of asthma subtypes and in
differntial diagnosis of asthma from asthma-like or over-lapped
conditions. In staging asthma severity and planning of management
protocols, application of symptom scores with simple tests like
PEF.FEV1,FVC is sufficient in most patients . These simple tests also
is indicated for home self-management of patients with good
reproducible results. Although the value of PEF,and home spirometry
has been questioned recently in asthmatic children .The clinical
indications, and pros and cons of various compartments of pulmonary
function tests are briefly reviewed regarding clinical pictures of
asthma.
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