Pulmonary Function Test

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Mlock

Active member
Joined
Aug 31, 2015
Messages
67
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
12/2015
Country
US
State
AL
City
huntsville
Can someone help me understand these results:"Spirogram showed severe airflow obstruction. FEV is 0.77 which is 37% of predicted. Lung volume showed no restrictive defect or air trapping. DCLO was within normal limits."

My PCP said this was bad but that I looked much better than this. Whatever that means! I don't seem to have much trouble breathing; sometimes a hitch in breathing or slightly out of breath with exertion.

Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions! I go to my first ALS clinic this Tuesday! Wendy
 
DLCO is an extra-thoracic measure of blood gas exchange. When adjusted for volume (what the lungs can hold, obviously reduced in ALS), it is usually normal to high in ALS. So being normal doesn't mean much.

FEV that low signals obstruction, as he noted, but w/o the rest of the test results, it's hard to put it into perspective. If you want to post them, I could give a better answer. Also, did you have any lung problems or smoke before ALS?
 
That is all that was on the report which I thought was weird. Never smoked. Did have a blood clot in my lung about a year ago but never any other lung problems. Now on Coumadin because of Lupus Anticoagulant factor.
 
What you have a summary note but the actual values would help, especially since the clot may factor into some of your results.
 
Thanks. Will ask at the clinic when I go Tuesday.
 
Hey Laurie,I too just got pulmonary test results back from va and don't know what they mean, I see them in person in February to explain but I wouldn't mind an earlier heads up. Here's what I have: spirometry/ normal. Diffusing capacity read at 75%
Forced vital capacity/96% FEV1/89% and. FEV1/FVC /74%. Lung diffusing of carbon monoxide/75%
Impression:1- normal spirometry. 2- diffusing capacity is mildly reduced. Thanks for any feedback. Love ya chally good luck Wendy on first clinic
 
That is wonderful chally. The numbers are good.
 
Chally, again, these are incomplete results but good overall -- you might have a mild obstruction unrelated to ALS so if you ever feel symptomatic you could ask the VA about overnight oximetry, which you should be able to do at home.

Happy Sat.,
Laurie
 
Thank you, thank you, so good to be able to ask others in and around this nightmare a ques. And git an ans. Love ya chally
 
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