Is a FEV1/FVC OF 79% a good one?
My FEV1 is 81% predicted.
My FVC is 127%.
My GP said I was to ignore all other figures on my Lung Volume Test as you would have to be a maths teacher to work it out.
I was advised the most important one to watch was the FEV1.
Just going through my old paper work and just wondering about the rest.
David
Very good wish mine was as good. Over 80% and you would not be diagnosed with copd at all. It puts you in the very very mild stage. Good going x
As coughalot1 says, anything over 80% is considered normal. Mine is about 24% and I'm very severe Stage 4 as a comparison.
I assume ALL the numbers you cite are in percent predicted (%Pred). That said, an FEV1/FVC of 79 %Pred with an FEV1 of 79 %Pred would put you in the mild stage of COPD by the definition provided by the The British Thoracic Society (BTS). According to the BTS, those with a low FEV1/FVC ratio *but* FEV1 above 80 %Pred are only considered normal if they have no respiratory symptoms, ie: dyspnea, cough, sputum. According to the other major organizations such as The European Respiratory Society, The American Thoracic Society, and The Global Initiatives for Chronic Obstructive Lung Diseases, you would be at the beginnings of moderate borderline mild COPD. The reality is in people with normal lungs *all* their number are very close to 100 %Pred or the group of numbers as a whole is equally deviated slightly below the 100 mark (>90 %Pred) or moderately above 100 %Pred (very healthy people can have all numbers in excess of 120 %Pred).
The reason your numbers are low is due to your bullous emphysema which has dramatically increased your FVC and therefore reduced the overall ratio - if the numerator goes down while the denominator goes up the ratio will decrease. This is why the FEV1/FVC ratio is such a sensitive indicator for obstructive lung diseases. Bullous emphysema is like a gigantic hole or balloon of empty space within your lungs that does nothing but take up space for healthy lung tissue to function. Bullous emphysema does not go away without surgical resection however if one's lung function is only mildly impaired, as is yours, there is more potential for harm from the surgery rather than good so therefore surgery is usually only reserved for those with severe deficiencies or acute symptoms such as pain or recurrent pneumothorax. That said, mild COPD isn't the end of the world and I am sure many people on this board would love to have numbers like yours. The glass is nearly 80% full!! 
I am not a math teacher, but am a engineer with mild COPD and study pulmonary pathology as sort of a hobby. So ASK ME ANYTHING in regard to any of your numbers.
Thank you droo for this thorough explanation. I was told about 5 years ago that the power of my lungs is 29% of the norm.
I take it one day at a time. I noticed that I feel better for going to the gym (much better). I noticed that after the infections I had in March, the new system of intravenous by a subfuser (a sort of pump with a balloon that pushes the liquid regularly in the container and distributes antibiotics evenly over 24 hours, Ceftazadime in this case) has worked really well. I have added to my arsenal of exercises the 8 pieces of brocade ( don't laugh; this is how the Chinese name these 8 exercises part of Qigong) which seems to balance my energy. all this seems to help an awful lot.
One can take the result of spirometry in and put it on the shelf and really take charge of one's body ( and mind and soul too!). To me that's our mission to ourselves.
Hi Droo32 perhaps you can give me a little help. I have been diagnosed with Emhysema (from a CT scan and LF test). My initial LF was happily borderline fev1/fvc of 70%. However, my most recent FEV1 is 94.2% but my ratio is now 65%. I have no symptoms at all. One test was done at the GP and the most recent other at hospital. It's good to know I need to be careful (remain non smoking, get the jabs etc) but didn't want to carry the diagnosis because of insurances etc. any insight?
Not sure what you asking, but these results are consistent with mild emphysema related COPD. I don't know where you are located though as I said, the BTS only recommends a COPD diagnosis with an FEV1>80% in those that are symptomatic. Given you state you have no symptoms, if you are in Britain and your clinician is following the BTS diagnostic guidelines perhaps you can avoid the diagnosis. What ever you do stay as far away from smoke and other air pollutants as possible, eat a healthy well-rounded diet full of fruits and vegetables and avoid processed or fried foods and cured meats, try to exercise 5 days a week at 30 min a pop, and enjoy life. If you don't mind me asking, what is your smoking history (how long and how many a day) and age?
The ratio is really the diagnostic factor, which should be in the 75-80 range for middle aged adults, and FEV1 is only used as a staging tool. This is due to the previous reasons I mentioned, that as the FEV1 decreases, so will the FVC initially increase, and bring down the ratio in a very sensitive way. It is also important to look at the DLCO (or TLCO) as this number can be a very sensitive indicator, though not specific, of emphysema.
Any better results and you would not be diognosed copd. Ensure you don't smoke. Keep active and look after your health and you will be fine. Mine is about 25%. Wish it was at yours. Don't worry too much about the diagnosis. It is a warning to look after yourself..
patient.co.uk/doctor/spirom...
copd.about.com/od/copdbasic...
Couple of links here that may help. I have RLD which explains why my GP's got it wrong for 2 years.
Be well
gad, I wish they were mine.
I'm FEV1 27% ..... still here & I ain't going anywhere just yet.
My advice .......don't smoke, stay fit & enjoy life ......
Hi and thanks all. I smoked for 42 years at around 12-14 per day I am 57 and gave up on 4th January. Not because of any symptoms just wanted too. The xray find was opportunistic. I am very glad that I stopped in time for the emphysema to be mild but I was a bit cheesed off I have not avoided the diagnosis. I found thus site when I was initially told it was fibrosis. If there is one thing I can be sure of its that the people on this site have been marvellous. I will thank my lucky star and take all the advice you have given. I hope, very sincerely, that some really effective treatments come along in the future.
All the very best.
Hi David, Yes most of us talk of FEV1. Its the percentage of lung function we have left and 81% is yes quiet mild COPD. However any good Clinician will tell you, they don't take much notice of our stats but more importantly is how we are coping. They see people with FEV1 of 30% looking and coping much better than someone with a much Higher FEV1.
two things David do you Smoke? If so then yes stop from yesterday smoking will make you much worse and the progress of Your COPD WILL fly down tothe more serious stages. Secondly get your Doctors or Pulmonary people to refer you to Pulmonary Rehab. Its our greatest treatment. Helps us to understand our conditions more. What are the best exercises and so forth. If you need anymore advice or support I and many more people on here will be willing to do that for you. Bless
I'm not sure how it works but our nurse after the test will tell you what your lung function is I'm level 4 and have a lung capacity of a 87 year old which I remind the old man of every time its his turn to make the coffee
Confused messages from the Dr
Moderate COPD longevity.
How did you get here? What caused your COPD, ACOS, Bronchiectasis or whatever?
a quick post.
