Spirometry Question

[PurpleAlf]

Good morning! As you are a wealth of knowledge, I am hoping you can answer a question for me. I have just looked online at my spirometry results from 18 months ago and have noticed a mistake. The respiratory nurse has put my height in as 4’11’ whereas I am actually 5’3”. This has made a big difference to my BMI, 39.14 as opposed to the 33.1 that I was at the time of the test. Would this affect the test results and if so for better or worse?

[MELNEL]

Good morning 🌞 good question LOLNormally I would say yes, because the test measurements will be compared with a normal result for someone of your age, height and sex how your lungs are working. I definitely would mention it when I see my GP or a nurse who is able to change that.

Best wishes 😃 take care and stay safe and warm 🍀🍀🍀

[PurpleAlf in reply to MELNEL]

Thank you, I will do. You stay safe too 😀

[Hidden]

Assuming the wrong height value was also put into the spirometer (not just noted wrongly in the paperwork), that kind of error in height will have a significant impact on the values. Being in a lower height band will have given you a higher predicted result i.e. it will most likely have given you a predicted fev1 and fvc better than it actually was on the day, as a shorter person will have a smaller predicted lung volume and figures to match. BMI isn’t actually relevant for spirometry, but it does mean they’ve also got you down as being just shy of morbid obesity on your medical record when you’re not. From experience, the effect of a centimetre here or there on spirometry outcomes is negligible, but 12cm? That’s almost 2 full height bands in the spirometry index they use to calculate what the expected values are. I’d say you need to completely disregard those results and just pretend it never happened. Have you had spirometry done since?

[PurpleAlf in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, that is useful. I had the spirometry test done in 2019 but haven’t had one since. I will call the doctors and see if they are doing them again yet.

[Hidden]

Good morning PA if you go to the spirometry calculation and put in details changing your height to what it actually is, this should give you an idea of the difference.

patient.info/doctor/spirome...

To check your BMI go here: nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-we...

If you have a telephone appointment booked with the respiratory nurse pending you could of course mention it then.

[PurpleAlf in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. I have done that and my proper height corresponds with the result of the spirometry test, so it looks like she just entered the height wrong on paper not in the test.

[Hidden in reply to PurpleAlf]

Great

[Ergendl]

It is worth pointing out. At my last spirometry session 1.5 years ago, the nurse put my age down as 33 instead of 63. So she was sympathetic about my deterioration. Until I spotted that the readings said I had a lung age of 62!

[PurpleAlf in reply to Ergendl]

I will point it out, thank you. How lovely that she didn’t question you being 33 though, you must look very young!