Spirometry Quality Assurance: Common Errors and Their Impact on Test Results

Spirometry is the most common pulmonary function test (PFT) and it plays a central role in occupational respiratory disease surveillance programs. Accurate spirometry testing, interpretation, and follow-up are critical to effective screening and surveillance of workers exposed to respiratory hazards and to the management of patients in the clinical setting. Spirometry quality assurance includes examination of test values and evaluation of both the volume-time and flow-volume curves for evidence of technical errors. Technically poor spirometry may have little value and may even provide misleading information.