Practical Pulmonary Function Testing

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Abstract
There is no substitute for clinical judgement and a number of cases will be met with where the clinical impression and pulmonary function tests vary. A few cases will give poor readings on the tests but apparently cope adequately with quite strenuous exercise. At the other end of the scale some will claim to have severe dyspnoea but produce good results on testing even in the absence of disease elsewhere. The available tests themselves may be simple to do—for example the peak flow or FEV1, may require comparatively cheap equipment or may be complex and time-consuming, e.g. radioactive scanning for regional lung function, and may not add much to the clinician's knowledge of a patient. However, pulmonary function tests form an integral part of the full assessment of the respiratory state of a patient and a working knowledge of the basic tests involved is essential for the practitioner interested in chest diseases in the field of occupational health. The tests most commonly used are described and some theoretical considerations are dealt with. A list of further reading is supplied.

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