Are lung function tests accurate?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Johnathan

New member
Joined
Jan 1, 2014
Messages
2
Reason
Friend was DX
Country
CA
State
BC
City
Vancouver
I have a good friend with ALS who has mouth, tongue weakness and is concerned that the lung function test results are not valid as she can't "grip" the spirometer with her mouth. Are we right to be concerned?
 
In my case, I can't get a seal on the mouth piece, so we tried one that goes inside the mouth (like a snorkel), then a mask that covers the mouth and nose.
In my case, I feel there is some air escaping no matter what I use.
So, no, I don't think the test is very accurate, I feel my breathing is good, that's all that matters to me.
Cheers,
Casey
 
Once you lose cheek, tongue, bite strength, or the ability to blow when they tell you, the test loses accuracy. They stopped bothering with me. Your friend will know when more help is needed. If she doesn't have them yet, she needs to look into a cough assist, suction machine, and trilogy bipap.
 
My mom has bulbar-onset and she is unable to make a good seal - so no, I don't think the tests are accurate when you are bulbar-onset.
 
Crazy that they can't develop a mouth piece that is easy to use for pals...my husbnd can't seal either. The only semi accurate reading we ever got was when the rt and i held his lips closed for him while he puffed.
 
Thanks so much everyone. I'll pass this along and I agree that it's crazy that they don't have anything better and if there isn't anything better that they still use the "results" as a basis for making recommendations as to various treatment options. best all...
 
But if you think about what they typically use the score for, it really doesn't matter if it's not precisely accurate. Typically, the score is used to justify insurance requirements for bipap use, and getting the feeding tube surgery before breathing is too poor. So recording a lower number than actual helps a PALS in effect.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top