Abstract
Spirometry is a fundamental test in the diagnosis of lung disease in children, including preschool children. It measures the amount (volume) and speed (flow) of air that can be inhaled and exhaled by the patient. The FVC (forced vital capacity) maneuver is the total amount of air exhaled forcefully following a maximal inhalation, and it is usually the only one performed. The FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in one second) describes the speed (flow) of air exhaled in the first second of the expiratory phase of FVC maneuvers. FVC, FEV1, and the FEV1/FVC ratio are the essential data to evaluate the flow/volume curve of spirometry and differentiate normal, obstructive, restrictive, or mixed (obstructive/restrictive) spirometry patterns. Every anesthesiologist and surgeon must be familiar with spirometry data, essential in ascertaining preoperative lung function and in the follow-up of the patient after the surgical procedure, particularly in the case of thoracic surgery.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Miller MR, Hankinson J, Brusasco V, et al. ATS/ERS Task Force. Standardisation of spirometry. Eur Respir J. 2005;26(2):319–38.
Escobar H, Carver TW Jr. Pulmonary function testing in young children. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2011;11:473–81.
Seed L, Wilson D, Coates AL. Children should not be treated like little adults in the PFT lab. RespCare. 2012;57(1):61–71.
Beydon N, Davis SD, Lombardi E, et al. American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society Working Group on Infant and Young Children Pulmonary Function Testing. An official American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society statement: pulmonary function testing in preschool children. Am J RespirCrit Care Med. 2007;175(12):1304–45.
Quanjer PH, Stanojevic S, Cole TJ, et al. The ERS global lung function initiative. Multi-ethnic reference values for spirometry for the 3-95 year age range: the global lung function 2012 equations. Eur Respir J. 2012;40(6):1324–43.
National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. Expert Panel Report 3 (EPR-3): Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma—summary report 2007 [published correction appears in J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008;121(6):1330. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007;120(5 suppl):S94–S138
Simon MR, Chinchilli VM, Phillips BR, et al. Childhood Asthma Research and Education Network of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of vital capacity and FEV1/forced vital capacity ratio in relation to clinical and physiological parameters in asthmatic children with normal FEV1 values. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010;126(3):527–34.
Levy ML, Quanjer PH, Booker R, Cooper BG, Holmes S, Small I, General Practice Airways Group. Diagnostic spirometry in primary care: proposed standards for general practice compliant with American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society recommendations: a General Practice Airways Group (GPIAG) document in association with the Association for Respiratory Technology & Physiology (ARTP) and Education for Health. Prim Care Respir J. 2009;18(3):130–47.
Galant SP, Morphew T, Newcomb RL, Hioe K, Guijon O, Liao O. The relationship of the bronchodilator response phenotype to poor asthma control in children with normal spirometry. J Pediatr. 2011;158(6):953–959.e1.
Coates AL, Wanger J, Cockcroft DW, et al. ERS technical standard on bronchial challenge testing: general considerations and performance of methacholine challenge tests. Eur Respir J. 2017;49:1601526.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Sacco, O. (2021). Pulmonary Function Tests. In: Mattioli, G., Petralia, P., Torre, M. (eds) Pediatric Thoracic Surgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74668-1_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74668-1_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-74667-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-74668-1
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)