A standardised comment scheme for routine pulmonary function test results

Observed values of ventilatory capacity, gas transfer and lung volumes in 840 patients were used to formulate a standardised scheme of descriptive comments. Response to bronchodilators was also difined. Absolute differences between measured and predicted values are used to identify normal and abnormal patterns of results, together with an overall pattern. The algorithms are suitable for computer use. The scheme has been in routine manual use for four years and can be used by any laboratory in which the necessary quality control standards are applied.