EVALUATING COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE SPIROMETERS

Abstract

To determine the performance characteristics of available spirometers; to assess the practicality and applicability of the American Thoracic Society''s (ATS) Snowbird Workshop recommendations on Standardization of Spirometry to determine whether spirometer testing could be done with room air, spirometers [19] were tested with 16 different human forced vital capacity waveforms. Of these 14 met the ATS forced vital capacity requirements. Of these 14 spirometers, 3 had difficulties in determining the end of expiration. Of the devices tested, 14 met the requirements for forced expiratory volume in 1 s. Of 13 devices tested for maximal voluntary ventilation, 10 were satisfactory. The standards recommended by ATS were apparently applicable and practical. The testing methods recommended by ATS need to be expanded to include more patient waveforms. Testing with room air is easier and simpler and, for most devices, just as effective as heated and humidified air. Most available spirometers can faithfully record forced spirograms. If a spirometer meets the ATS requirements, it makes no difference on which device the spirogram is recorded.