Copd

[Larrylungs]

Hi all,just been diagnosed with Copd 🙈... mild with fev 1 97% but fev1/fvc 63, 80 is normal so that's 79 %... anyone shed any light on that?!! 👍

[Phil40]

Hi, the interpretation of these things is on line and I struggle to understand it but it’s something like this:

Forced Exhalation Volume in 1 second starts at 100%, the best it can be.

Then there is a scale what the Forced Exhalation Capacity should be depending on age and other things.

Your FEV1 is measured against the FEC and the resultant percentage is how well THIS test says your lungs are working.

There is one scale called the BODE index and another, the GOLD scale which rank severity using that percentage, AMONGST other factors.

My Mum is below 30% for example.

But FEV1 score is only one aspect and try not to get obsessive about it; it’s really about what you can and cannot do ie walking distance; activity etc that tells you how you’re doing I think.

I am sure anything wrong I have written there will be corrected, basically look after yourself, and do whatever you can to manage the COPD such as don’t smoke; be in dusty environments etc to hinder deterioration.

Regards

[soulsaver]

Hi larry, welcome.

Fev1/FVC ratio 80% is top of the normal range - in fact in some jurisdictions 70% is deemed normal (and was in UK until recently).

I posted this reply in another thread, it is a cut & paste, so maybe more info than necessary - but it is my own and you can see more detailed stuff in the link - so hope it helps:

Fev1 (Forced Expiry Volume) is the volume of air that you can blow out in 1 second.

FVC (Forced vital capacity) is your lung capacity, the total volume of air that can forcibly be blown out after full inspiration in however long, but usually stopped at 12 seconds to avoid fainting.

Normal range = should be able to blow 70% of your total lung capacity (FVC) in 1 second. (arguably up to 80%, dependant on your country's Health Dept view).

Fev 1 is measured in litres, so 2, 3 or 4 litres, or thereabout. If big number like 40, 60, 80 etc that will be % of predicted - that which is expected from 'normal lungs' of a person your height, age & gender.

Men have almost always have significantly bigger lungs than women, and so different norms.

Predicted number is an average of normal for your gender, that include big people with small lungs and small people with big lungs.

So taken by itself Fev1 could look 'obstucted' because your blow is less than average... but you could have smaller than average lungs thus actually be normal..

Someone else could blow 90% predicted but have bigger than average lungs and actually be obstructed.

So they need to take into account the size of your own lungs hence the ratio of blow(FEV1) to volume (FVC) where Fev1 divided by FVC (FEV1/FVC) = 75%, arguably, is bottom of the normal range, or top of the obstructed.. depending on age, symptoms and on history - middle aged (ex)smokers with symptoms likely to be deemed mildly obstructed.

See link

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiro...

[Phil40 in reply to soulsaver]

Yes, that answer sounds a lot better than my attempt from memory. Nothing seems to stick any more....

[soulsaver in reply to Phil40]

@Phil40 Know the feeling...