ARTICLE

Results of the second "Day of Spirometry"

Belgian Society of Pulmonology

The Belgian Society of Pulmonology has presented the results of the second "Day of Spirometry".

Participants had answered positively to one or more of the following questions:
- Do you cough regularly?
- Do you cough up sputum regularly?
- Are you experiencing more dyspnoea then other people of your age?
- Are you older then 40 years of age?
- Are you a smoker or former smoker?

Of 1313 participants, 22% had spirometric signs of obstructive lung disease, without having any history of asthma or COPD or exposure to toxic gases and fumes. Smokers showed a significant decrease in FEF25-75 values.

39% of the participants that had a history of smoking more then 20 cigarettes per day for at least 20 years showed obstructive lung disease with FEV1/FVC ratio <70%.

Distinguishing obstructive from non-obstructive people was only possible with a spirometer and not with a peak flow meter. It is concluded that peak flow measurement is not an adequate diagnostic tool.