Graphic analysis of flow-volume curves: a pilot study

摘要

BackgroundConventional spirometric parameters have shown poor correlation with symptoms and health status of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). While it is well-known that the pattern of the expiratory flow-volume curve (EFVC) represents ventilatory dysfunction, little attempts have been made to derive quantitative parameters by analyzing the curve. In this study, we aimed to derive useful parameters from EFVC via graphic analysis and tried to validate them in patients with COPD.