Is there a specific name for in-clinic spirometry, not the whole Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs)?

Office Spirometry vs. Full Pulmonary Function Tests

Office spirometry (also called simple spirometry) is the specific term for the limited pulmonary function testing performed in clinics, distinct from comprehensive pulmonary function tests (PFTs) conducted in specialized laboratories. 1

What is Office Spirometry?

Office spirometry is a focused assessment that measures:

• Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)
• Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1)
• FEV1/FVC ratio
• Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF)

Unlike full PFTs, office spirometry does not include:

• Lung volumes (Total Lung Capacity, Residual Volume)
• Diffusing capacity
• Body plethysmography
• Specialized bronchial challenge testing

Technical Requirements for Office Spirometry

According to the American Thoracic Society (ATS) guidelines, office spirometry equipment must meet specific standards:

• Flow measurement accuracy of ±5% up to 15 Hz 1
• Resistance less than 2.5 cmH₂O·L⁻¹·s⁻¹ 1
• Ability to display flow-volume curves
• Capability to measure FVC for at least 15 seconds
• Ability to accumulate volume for 30 seconds for slow vital capacity measurements 1

Clinical Applications of Office Spirometry

Office spirometry serves several distinct purposes in workplace and clinical settings:

1. Medical surveillance - detecting effects of inhalational exposures 1
2. Job placement evaluations - assessing respiratory fitness for specific occupations 1
3. Respirator use evaluation - determining if workers can safely use respiratory protection 1
4. Diagnosis confirmation - supporting clinical diagnosis of respiratory conditions 1
5. Treatment monitoring - assessing response to interventions 1

Interpretation of Office Spirometry

When interpreting office spirometry results:

• Compare FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC to predicted values and lower limit of normal
• Assess for obstructive pattern (reduced FEV1/FVC ratio)
• Evaluate for restrictive pattern (reduced FVC with normal or increased FEV1/FVC)
• Consider bronchodilator reversibility testing for suspected asthma (increase in FEV1 ≥12% and ≥200ml) 2

Quality Assurance for Office Spirometry

The American Thoracic Society emphasizes quality control measures for reliable results:

• Technician training and certification
• Regular equipment calibration
• Standardized testing procedures
• Reproducibility criteria (within-test variability ≤100 ml for clinical trials) 1

Limitations of Office Spirometry

Important limitations to recognize:

• Cannot measure static lung volumes (TLC, RV)
• Cannot assess diffusion capacity
• May miss subtle abnormalities detected by more comprehensive testing
• Normal results don't exclude all respiratory conditions 2

Office spirometry provides valuable but limited information compared to comprehensive PFTs performed in specialized pulmonary function laboratories, making it appropriate for screening and monitoring but not always sufficient for complex diagnostic evaluations.