TY - JOUR T1 - Spirometry Quality in Adults With Very Severe Lung Function Impairment JF - Respiratory Care DO - 10.4187/respcare.03457 SP - respcare.03457 AU - Luis Torre-Bouscoulet AU - Mónica Velázquez-Uncal AU - Rogelio García-Torrentera AU - Laura Gochicoa-Rangel AU - Rosario Fernández-Plata AU - Paul Enright AU - Rogelio Pérez-Padilla Y1 - 2015/01/13 UR - http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/early/2015/01/13/respcare.03457.abstract N2 - BACKGROUND: Some technologists worry that patients with very severe lung disease are unable to complete several spirometry maneuvers, which require considerable effort. METHODS: We retrospectively selected all spirometry tests with an FEV1 < 35% predicted done by adult subjects sent to our pulmonary function laboratory during a 3-y period. We determined the rates and correlates of poor quality test sessions. RESULTS: Approximately 90% of the tests done by the 558 subjects with very severe lung-function impairment (of > 30,000 subjects tested during the 3-y period) had adequate quality spirometry. Subjects with airway obstruction were less likely to meet FVC repeatability goals. A poor spirometry quality grade was associated with a very low FVC and a low body mass index, but not older age. CONCLUSIONS: Severe lung disease should not be used as an excuse for not meeting spirometry quality goals. ER -