The impact of spirometry on pediatric asthma diagnosis and treatment

Research has shown that spirometry is underutilized in the clinical setting. This study profiles the use of spirometry in an asthma management program at an inner-city community health clinic. Eligible subjects included 56 children who presented with an acute asthma exacerbation. Physicians recorded patient diagnosis before and after viewing spirometry. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was used to determine associations between symptoms and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁). Physicians changed 30.4% of patients' treatment plans after viewing spirometry results. Wheezing was significantly associated with FEV₁ in bivariate analysis; however, multivariate modeling failed to identify significant relationships. The use of spirometry influenced patient diagnosis and treatment.