ERS/ATS technical standard on interpretive strategies for routine lung function tests

🤖 Plain-English Summary

BACKGROUND: Appropriate interpretation of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) involves the classification of observed values as within/outside the normal range based on a reference population of healthy individuals, integrating knowledge of physiological determinants of test results into functional classifications and integrating patterns with other clinical data to estimate prognosis. Interpretation of measurements made by spirometry, lung volumes and gas transfer are described as they relate to un...

🔑 Key Findings

• In 2005, the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and European Respiratory Society (ERS) jointly adopted technical standards for the interpretation of PFTs.
• We aimed to update the 2005 recommendations and incorporate evidence from recent literature to establish new standards for PFT interpretation.
• METHODS: This technical standards document was developed by an international joint Task Force, appointed by the ERS/ATS with multidisciplinary expertise in conducting and interpreting PFTs and developing international standards.

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