Can resting lung function predict the response of a person living with motor neuron disease to a hypoxic challenge test?

Objective: People living with MND (PlwMND) are at risk of altitude-related hypoxia during flight. The Hypoxic Challenge Test (HCT) determines whether in-flight oxygen is required but can be expensive and inaccessible. To assist with travel recommendations, we investigated the relationship between altitude simulation-induced hypoxemia and baseline lung function.

Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science position statement for arterial blood gas sampling.

The assessment of gas exchange under varying ambient and metabolic conditions is an important and fundamental investigation of respiratory function. The gold standard is an arterial blood gas (ABG) sample; however, the procedure is not universally performed by medical scientists, is not standardised, and is typically taught by a subjective Halsted 'see one, do one' approach. The Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science recognised the need to create an ABG position statement that includes the required pre-requisite education, an evidence-based procedure and the minimum reporting and competency assessment requirements.

A Race-neutral Approach to the Interpretation of Lung Function Measurements.

The use of self-reported race and ethnicity to interpret lung function measurements has historically assumed that the observed differences in lung function between racial and ethnic groups were because of thoracic cavity size differences relative to standing height. Very few studies have considered the influence of environmental and social determinants on pulmonary function. Consequently, the use of race and ethnicity-specific reference equations may further marginalize disadvantaged populations.

Impact of smoking status and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on pulmonary complications post lung cancer surgery.

Introduction: Smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with an increased risk of post-operative pulmonary complications (PPCs) following lung cancer resection. It remains unclear whether smoking cessation reduces this risk.

Methods: Retrospective review of a large, prospectively collected database of over 1000 consecutive resections for lung cancer in a quaternary lung cancer centre over a 23-year period.

Prescribing walking training in interstitial lung disease from the 6-minute walk test.

Introduction And Objective: Endurance training during PR requires exercise prescription at sufficient intensity to achieve physiological benefits. This analysis sought to investigate whether walking training prescribed from 6-minute walk test (6MWT) average speed provides an appropriate training intensity for people with ILD during PR.

Methods: Individuals with ILD completed cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) and 6MWT in random order.

The effect of sex and body weight on lung volumes during sleep.

Study Objectives: Low lung volumes are thought to contribute to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA is worse in the supine versus lateral body position, men versus women, obese versus normal-weight (NW) individuals and REM versus NREM sleep. All of these conditions may be associated with low lung volumes.

The effect of body mass and sex on the accuracy of respiratory magnetometers for measurement of end-expiratory lung volumes.

Respiratory magnetometers are increasingly being used in sleep studies to measure changes in end-expiratory lung volume (EELV), including in obese obstructive sleep apnea patients. Despite this, the accuracy of magnetometers has not been confirmed in obese patients nor compared between sexes. Thus we compared spirometer-measured and magnetometer-estimated lung volume and tidal volume changes during voluntary end-expiratory lung volume changes of 1.

Reference values for spirometry and their use in test interpretation: A Position Statement from the Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science.

Traditionally, spirometry testing tended to be confined to the realm of hospital-based laboratories but is now performed in a variety of health care settings. Regardless of the setting in which the test is conducted, the fundamental basis of spirometry is that the test is both performed and interpreted according to the international standards. The purpose of this Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science (ANZSRS) statement is to provide the background and recommendations for the interpretation of spirometry results in clinical practice.

Optimizing respiratory function assessments to elucidate the impact of obesity on respiratory health.

There is an increasing prevalence of obesity worldwide and its impact on respiratory health is of significant concern. Obesity affects the respiratory system by several mechanisms, including by direct mechanical changes due to fat deposition in the chest wall, abdomen and upper airway, as well as via systemic inflammation. The increased mechanical load in obese individuals leads to reduced chest wall and lung compliance and increased work of breathing.

Cardiorespiratory responses to 6-minute walk test in interstitial lung disease: not always a submaximal test.

Background: The 6-minute walk test (6 MWT) is used to measure exercise capacity and assess prognosis in interstitial lung disease (ILD). Although the 6 MWT is usually considered to be a test of submaximal exercise capacity in ILD, the physiological load imposed by this test is not well described and 6 MWT outcomes are poorly understood. This study aimed to compare cardiorespiratory responses to 6 MWT and cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) in people with ILD.

Measurement of FEF25-75% and FEF75% does not contribute to clinical decision making.

The aim of this study was to determine the added value of measuring the forced expiratory flow at 25-75% of forced vital capacity (FVC) (FEF25-75%) and flow when 75% of FVC has been exhaled (FEF75%) over and above the measurement of the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FVC and FEV1/FVC ratio. We used spirometric measurements of FEV1, FVC and FEF25-75% from 11 654 white males and 11 113 white females, aged 3-94 years, routinely tested in the pulmonary function laboratories of four tertiary hospitals. FEF75% was available in 8254 males and 7407 females.

Grading the severity of airways obstruction: new wine in new bottles.

The objective of this study was to redesign the current grading of obstructive lung disease so that it is clinically relevant and free of biases related to age, height, sex and ethnic group. Spirometric records from 17 880 subjects (50.4% female) from hospitals in Australia and Poland, and 21 191 records (53.

Effects of adopting the new global lung function initiative 2012 reference equations on the interpretation of spirometry.

Background: The recently generated spirometry reference equations from the Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI2012) provide a long-awaited opportunity for the adoption of a globally applicable set of normal reference values.

Objective: The aim of this study was to document the likely interpretative effects of changing from commonly used current spirometry reference equations to the GLI2012 equations on interpretation of test results in a clinical spirometry dataset.

Methods: Spirometry results from 2,400 patients equally distributed over the age range of 5-85 years were obtained from clinical pulmonary function laboratories at three public hospitals.

Implications of adopting the Global Lungs Initiative 2012 all-age reference equations for spirometry.

The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic and interpretative consequences of adopting the Global Lungs Initiative (GLI) 2012 spirometric prediction equations. We assessed spirometric records from 17 572 subjects (49.5% females), aged 18-85 years, from hospitals in Australia and Poland.

'Is it okay for me to ... ?' Assessment of recreational activity risk in patients with chronic lung conditions.

Background: Recreational activities, including travel, can be associated with risks to health. Assessing and advising on these risks can be an important part of travel planning for a person with a chronic lung condition when they ask, 'Is it okay for me to ..

Effect of singing on respiratory function, voice, and mood after quadriplegia: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To explore the effects of singing training on respiratory function, voice, mood, and quality of life for people with quadriplegia.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Large, university-affiliated public hospital, Victoria, Australia.

Reasons for referral for pulmonary function testing: an audit of 4 adult lung function laboratories.

Background: Pulmonary function testing (PFT) is an important tool in the diagnosis and management of most respiratory conditions, and appropriate interpretation of test results is a fundamental component of the final report. As part of developing a structured approach to interpretation of PFT results, we wished to characterize primary reasons for referral for testing in a range of PFT laboratories.

Methods: Four PFT laboratories (3 public, 1 private) using similar PFT databases participated.

Assessment of breathing patterns and respiratory muscle recruitment during singing and speech in quadriplegia.

Objectives: To explore how respiratory impairment after cervical spinal cord injury affects vocal function, and to explore muscle recruitment strategies used during vocal tasks after quadriplegia. It was hypothesized that to achieve the increased respiratory support required for singing and loud speech, people with quadriplegia use different patterns of muscle recruitment and control strategies compared with control subjects without spinal cord injury.

Design: Matched, parallel-group design.