Comparison of airway resistance measurements by the forced oscillation technique and the interrupter technique for detecting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in elderly patients

Rulmonary function tests provide an objective means to verify ventilatory dysfunction and to estimate its severity in respiratory disorders. Measurement of forced expiratory volume in 1 second （FEV1） and forced vital capacity （FVC） is considered to be the basic tests for the assessment of airway obstruction. Although they are useful diagnostically and prognostically, the results of FEV1 and FVC are strongly dependent on the cooperation of the patient. Lack of collaboration is particularly present in elderly patients because of mood alterations, fatigability or cognitive impairment. The forced oscillation technique （FOT） and the interrupter resistance technique are the two methods of measuring respiratory resistance during tidal breathing, they are of special interest because both of them are noninvasive, requires minimal cooperation, takes little time and can be easily repeated, especially in children and elderly subjects who cannot accomplish forced expiratory maneuvers in a reproducible manner.