Statutes
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Last Updated on Friday, 24 August 2012 18:05
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ERS/ATS Working Group New Lung Function Reference Values:
A United Approach
Statutes
Objective
Establish improved international lung function reference data that:
- Encompass all routine clinical lung function tests; including but not limited to spirometry, lung volumes (using both plethysmography and multibreath washout tests) and TL,CO (including matched VA)
- Are representative of the population /individuals under study irrespective of age/ethnic group/equipment used
- Are based on raw data that have been collected under standardised measurement conditions with documented equipment and software
- Are re-modelled using modern sophisticated statistical techniques to allow continuous equations across the entire age range from early childhood to old age.
- Allow flexible and appropriate methods of interpretation using upper (or lower limits) of normal, which take into account the variation in between-subject variability according to age and reported lung function parameters, rather than fixed cut–offs
- Are clinically useful and can be incorporated into commercially available equipment, with improved methods of reporting to give clear indication of where the subject lies with respect to the normal range and the ability to track changes over time
- Can be updated on a regular basis to account for alterations in equipment/software/secular changes/availability of new datasets.