• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.332-341
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• 1995

Background: Measurement of bronchodilator response is necessary to establish reversibility of airflow obstruction that was helpful to estimate the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis in obstructive airway disease. An useful index should be able to detect the bronchodilator response more sensitively not related with degree of airflow obstruction and also be independent of initial $FEV_1$. Method: Sensitivities of bronchodilator response in each group classified by degree of airflow obstruction in $FEV_1$, FVC, $FEF_{25\sim75%}$, Isovolume $FEF_{25\sim75%}$, sGaw were studied and correlation coefficients were calculated between initial $FEV_1$ and reversibilities expressed as absolute, %initial, % predicted, %possible in $FEV_1$. Result: Sensitivities of bronchodilator response were 61.5% in FVC, Isovolume $FEF_{25\sim75%}$ and sGaw, in severe group, and 56.3% in Isovolume $FEF_{25\sim75%}$ and sGaw, in moderate group, and 62.5% in $FEV_1$ and sGaw and 50.0% in FVC and Isovolume $FEF_{25\sim75%}$, in mild group, and 60.0% in sGaw and 58.0% in Isovolume $FEF_{25\sim75%}$ in total patients. Correlation coefficients between initial $FEV_1$(L) and absolute, % initial, % predicted, % possible were 0.15, -0.22(p<0.05), 0.02, 0.24(p<0.05) and correlation coefficients between initial $FEV_1$(% predicted) and absolute, % initial, % predicted, %possible were 0.06, -0.28(p<0.05), 0.08, 0.39(p<0.05). Conclusion: Volume related parameters were more sensitive index not related with degree of airway obstruction and the change in $FEV_1$ expressed as % predicted was the least dependent on initial $FEV_1$ and reversibilities, expressed as % initial or as % possible(predicted minus initial $FEV_1$)were correlated with initial $FEV_1$.