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| Module 4: Physiology of the Respiratory System - Interpreting Spirometry (Continued). |
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| Module 4: Physiology of the Respiratory System - Interpreting Spirometry (Continued). |
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The South African Thoracic society (SATS) has formulated a set of criteria for grading the extent of lung impairment. These are shown in the table below:
| Parameter | Normal | Mild (Able to meet the physical demands of most jobs) |
Moderate (Diminished ability to meet physical demands of many jobs) |
Severe (Unable to meet physical demands of most jobs) |
| % predicted FVC | ³ 80% | 60 - 79 % | 51 - 59 | £ 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % predicted FEV1 | ³ 80% | 60 - 79 % | 41 - 59 | £ 40% |
| FEV1/FVC | ³ 70% | 60 - 69 % | 41 - 9 | £ 40% |
The table provided is derived from the SA Thoracic Society’s recommendations for interpretation of spirometry. It separates spirometric abnormalities into normal, mild, moderate and severe categories based on the worst observed parameter on the test. For a full explanation read the SATS guideline.
Refer to the lung function practicum for further information and exercises in the interpretation of lung function tests.
Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Health (DOH) - Modules 3 – 5: Occupational Medicine & Toxicology by Prof Rodney Ehrlich & Prof Mohamed Jeebhay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.healthedu.uct.ac.za/