Body Plethysmography Testing Sample Clauses

Body Plethysmography Testing. ‌ Body plethysmography will be used to determine the volume of thoracic gas (VTG) per the American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC) Clinical Practice Guideline “Body Plethysmography: 2001 Revision and Update” [37]. The reported VTG should be averaged from a minimum of 3-5 separate, acceptable panting maneuvers; should be calculated using values that agree within 5% of the mean (widely varying values should be averaged, and reported as variable); should indicate whether the thoracic volume was at functional residual capacity (FRC) or at some other level; should be compared with other lung volume determinations (He dilution, N2 washout) if such are being performed. Lung volumes including the slow vital capacity (VC) maneuver and its subdivisions inspiratory capacity (IC) and expiratory reserve volume (ERV) should be performed during the same testing session. The ERV, IC, and VC should be measured in conjunction with each VTG trial before disconnecting from the measuring system. Tracing should be added to illustrate correct performance. The largest volume of VC or forced vital capacity (FVC) obtained should be used for calculation of derived lung volumes. The mean values should be reported for IC and ERV from acceptable VTG maneuvers. Total lung capacity (TLC) = mean FRC + mean IC (mean IC should be close to the largest IC) and RV = TLC – largest VC. Airways resistance and specific airways conductance maneuvers should be conducted such that the open-shutter panting maneuver shows a relatively closed loop. The panting frequency for within-testing session comparisons (i.e. pre- and post- bronchodilator testing) and for serial testing in a given study participant should be kept constant to aid in interpretation. Consensus of the group suggests a range of 60-90 cycles per minute. A linked, rather than unlinked, maneuver should be performed; this means that following shutter closure at FRC, an expiratory maneuver to RV is performed, followed by an inspiratory VC maneuver to TLC. Body plethysmography values recorded on the CRF will be post-bronchodilator. Body plethysmography reference values from the ATS statement on ‘Lung Function Testing: Selection of Reference Values and Interpretative Strategies’ [38] should be used for this study.