THE VALUE OF QUESTIONNAIRES AND SPIROMETRY IN ASTHMA SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMS IN THE WORKPLACE

被引：22
作者：
STENTON, SC
BEACH, JR
AVERY, AJ
HENDRICK, DJ
机构：
[1] Chest Unit and Regional Unit for Occupational Lung Disease, Newcastle General Hospital, University of Newcastle upon Tyne
来源：
OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE-OXFORD | 1993年 / 43卷 / 04期
基金：
英国医学研究理事会;
关键词：
D O I：
10.1093/occmed/43.4.203
中图分类号：
R1 [预防医学、卫生学];
学科分类号：
1004 ; 120402 ;
摘要：
Shipyard workers and job applicants (n = 1126) completed an asthma questionnaire, and underwent measurements of ventilatory lung function (FEV1, FEV1/FVC and PEFR) and airway responsiveness. Airway responsiveness (to inhaled methacholine) was expressed as the dose calculated to provoke a 20 per cent fall in FEV1, ie the PD20. Results were categorized into four levels: high (PD 20<200 mug), medium (200-1000 mug), low (1001-6400 mug) and unquantifiable (>6400 mug), which correspond with definite, possible, doubtful and no asthmatic activity. These categories agreed closely with diagnoses of asthma by general practitioners and the use of bronchodilator medication. The sensitivity and specificity of the questionnaire and the measurements of ventilatory function for detecting asthmatic activity were then determined. The questionnaire symptoms (wheeze, chest tightness, undue coughing or abnormal breathlessness) had a low (28 per cent) sensitivity for detecting definite or possible asthmatic activity and a specificity of only 73 per cent. The sensitivity of the ventilatory function tests (any one abnormal) was also low at 21 per cent with a specificity of 92 per cent. When the FEV1 <80 per cent predicted criterion was considered separately, its sensitivity was 11 per cent and its specificity was 98 per cent. These results illustrate that caution is needed when interpreting the results of questionnaires and measurements of ventilatory lung function in the diagnosis of asthma among working populations.
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页码：203 / 206
页数：4
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