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What Does My Pulmonary Function Test Report Indicate?
Question: Hello,
I'm asking this question about my father, who is 78 and in very good health for someone his age. About once a year, he a pulmonary function test. On his most recent one, his FEF 25%-75% number was 60%. In reading the report, it sounds like 15% is better than 60%. Can you tell me exactly what these numbers mean?
Thank you.
XXXX
I'm asking this question about my father, who is 78 and in very good health for someone his age. About once a year, he a pulmonary function test. On his most recent one, his FEF 25%-75% number was 60%. In reading the report, it sounds like 15% is better than 60%. Can you tell me exactly what these numbers mean?
Thank you.
XXXX
Brief Answer:
If he is asymptomatic then no need to worry.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear, thanks for your question on HCM.
I can understand your situation and problem.
FEF (25-75%) is marker of small airways and thus any abnormality in this represents small airway disease. Fall from 60% to 15% is suggestive of small airway obstruction.
Obstructive lung diseases like asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive Pulmonary disease), in their early stages, give only small airway obstruction and thus fall in FEF 25-75%.
Another important thing in PFT is patient 's effort.
PFT is highly effort dependent test. So if patient does not blow correctly, even without symptoms, his/her PFT will show disease.
So I am trying to say that we should not think of disease only on the basis of PFT report.
Clinical examination of respiratory system and symptoms should be correlated with PFT report to decide future treatment plan.
So, if he is asymptomatic and his respiratory examination by doctor is also good then no need to worry for this much fall in FEF.
Old age related changes can also be the cause.
Please let me know
1. Does he have smoking habit at present or in past?
2. Does he have shortness of breath or cough with exprctoration?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wishing good health to your father.
Thanks.
If he is asymptomatic then no need to worry.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear, thanks for your question on HCM.
I can understand your situation and problem.
FEF (25-75%) is marker of small airways and thus any abnormality in this represents small airway disease. Fall from 60% to 15% is suggestive of small airway obstruction.
Obstructive lung diseases like asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive Pulmonary disease), in their early stages, give only small airway obstruction and thus fall in FEF 25-75%.
Another important thing in PFT is patient 's effort.
PFT is highly effort dependent test. So if patient does not blow correctly, even without symptoms, his/her PFT will show disease.
So I am trying to say that we should not think of disease only on the basis of PFT report.
Clinical examination of respiratory system and symptoms should be correlated with PFT report to decide future treatment plan.
So, if he is asymptomatic and his respiratory examination by doctor is also good then no need to worry for this much fall in FEF.
Old age related changes can also be the cause.
Please let me know
1. Does he have smoking habit at present or in past?
2. Does he have shortness of breath or cough with exprctoration?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wishing good health to your father.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dr. Bhavsar,
Thank you for your reply to my question(s). I particularly like your including of a Brief Answer and a Detailed Answer.
My father smoked when he was in his twenties, but stopped when he had his first child (1959) and has never smoked since. Up until he was about 60, my Dad was a regular runner. He would run two or three miles three or four times a week, and run in a 5K race about once a year. He doesn't have any shortness of breath or cough.
I'll also give you a little more detail about my Dad's current condition. In November of last year (2014), his heart went into an A-fib (atrial fibrillation) rhythm. His doctor double his Amiodarone dose from 100mg to 200mg, and increased his Metoprolol dose from 12mg once a day, to 12mg twice a day, then to 25mg twice a day. Finally by the end of March, his heart returned to a normal sinus rhythm. His doctor has since reduced his metoprolol down to 12 mg twice a day, but left the Amiodarone at 200mg. His average 24-hour heart rate is now around 50 bpm -- which is normal for him. (It had been averaging 65 ppm even at the higher doses of both medications.)
Since returning to a normal sinus rhythm, he has had one MUGA test and one PFT test. I've mentioned what the result of the PFT were before. The results of the MUGA test was an EF (ejection fraction) of 31%. His previous MUGA test was in July of last year (2014), then it was much higher, at 43%.
I'm hoping this additional information will give you a more complete impression of my Dad's condition and overall health.
Thank you very much.
XXXX
Thank you for your reply to my question(s). I particularly like your including of a Brief Answer and a Detailed Answer.
My father smoked when he was in his twenties, but stopped when he had his first child (1959) and has never smoked since. Up until he was about 60, my Dad was a regular runner. He would run two or three miles three or four times a week, and run in a 5K race about once a year. He doesn't have any shortness of breath or cough.
I'll also give you a little more detail about my Dad's current condition. In November of last year (2014), his heart went into an A-fib (atrial fibrillation) rhythm. His doctor double his Amiodarone dose from 100mg to 200mg, and increased his Metoprolol dose from 12mg once a day, to 12mg twice a day, then to 25mg twice a day. Finally by the end of March, his heart returned to a normal sinus rhythm. His doctor has since reduced his metoprolol down to 12 mg twice a day, but left the Amiodarone at 200mg. His average 24-hour heart rate is now around 50 bpm -- which is normal for him. (It had been averaging 65 ppm even at the higher doses of both medications.)
Since returning to a normal sinus rhythm, he has had one MUGA test and one PFT test. I've mentioned what the result of the PFT were before. The results of the MUGA test was an EF (ejection fraction) of 31%. His previous MUGA test was in July of last year (2014), then it was much higher, at 43%.
I'm hoping this additional information will give you a more complete impression of my Dad's condition and overall health.
Thank you very much.
XXXX
Brief Answer:
No need to worry for decrease in FEF 25-75 %.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear, thanks for your follow up question.
And thanks for the detailed history about your father.
Since he left smoking for about 50years and he is physically fit, without breathlessness and able to run as well, I don't think you should worry about decrease in FEF 25-75 %.
So, no treatment required for his decrease in FEF 25-75 %.
And decrease in his EF (ejection fraction) on MUGA scan is mostly age related.
Better to consult cardiologist and discuss about this decrease.
For decrease in FEF 25-75 %, no need to worry hence no treatment is required.
Hope I have solved your query.
If you are not having further queries, then please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wishing good health to your father.
Thanks.
No need to worry for decrease in FEF 25-75 %.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear, thanks for your follow up question.
And thanks for the detailed history about your father.
Since he left smoking for about 50years and he is physically fit, without breathlessness and able to run as well, I don't think you should worry about decrease in FEF 25-75 %.
So, no treatment required for his decrease in FEF 25-75 %.
And decrease in his EF (ejection fraction) on MUGA scan is mostly age related.
Better to consult cardiologist and discuss about this decrease.
For decrease in FEF 25-75 %, no need to worry hence no treatment is required.
Hope I have solved your query.
If you are not having further queries, then please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wishing good health to your father.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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