Lab

Pulmonary Function Test Lower Limit of Normal

search

Pulmonary Function Test Lower Limit of Normal, Spirometry Lower Limit of Normal, PFT LLN

  • Indications
  1. Pulmonary Function Test Interpretation (Used in ATS Guidelines)
  • Background
  1. Based on Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) PFT data
  2. Calculated the lowest 5% (fifth percentile) cut-offs for FEV1 to FVC, FVC and FEV1
  3. Replaces GOLD Criteria which are less accurate
    1. Miss up to 50% of young adults with Obstructive Lung Disease and
    2. Overdiagnose Obstructive Lung Disease in healthy non-smokers
  4. Recently manufactured PFT software calculates the LLN based on patient age, gender and height