• Luis Torre-Bouscoulet, Mónica Velázquez-Uncal, Rogelio García-Torrentera, Laura Gochicoa-Rangel, Rosario Fernández-Plata, Paul Enright, and Rogelio Pérez-Padilla.
• Department of Respiratory Physiology, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas," Tlalpan luistorreb@gmail.com.
• Respir Care. 2015 May 1;60(5):740-3.

BackgroundSome technologists worry that patients with very severe lung disease are unable to complete several spirometry maneuvers, which require considerable effort.MethodsWe 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.ResultsApproximately 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.ConclusionsSevere lung disease should not be used as an excuse for not meeting spirometry quality goals.Copyright © 2015 by Daedalus Enterprises.

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