Abstract
ABSTRACT Purpose: to identify the accuracy of the single-breath counting test to determine slow vital capacity in hospitalized patients and to evaluate the repeatability of the same examiner. Methods: a diagnostic study and the choice of techniques were randomly assigned. The area under the curve (receiver operating characteristic) was calculated from the slow vital capacity (20ml/kg) to evaluate the best psychometric characteristics of single-breath counting Test for this cutoff point. Repeatability observed by the same examiner was assessed using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient. Results: 516 patients hospitalized for various diseases were analyzed. In the curve analysis (receiver operating characteristic/slow vital capacity=20ml/Kg), the value of 21 in single-breath counting test with a sensitivity of 94.44% and specificity of 76.62% (area under the curve =0.93, p<0.005) was found. The intraclass correlation coefficient value for the single-breath counting test was 0.976 with p>0.005. Conclusion: the single-breath counting test was a valid and repetitive technique, and may be an important screening option for assessment of lung function in the absence of specific equipment. This technique opens perspectives to replace slow vital capacity measurement in hospitals, which lack spirometric equipment, or in patients who may have a contagious disease, which has a risk of contamination and spread of disease from one patient to another.
Highlights
Measurements of lung volumes are used in clinical practice in order to screen for functional abnormalities and to estimate the degree of loss of pulmonary function[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]
We have studied the utility of the maximal phonation time (MPT)
This study showed that the numerical count technique in hospitalized individuals presented a good validity with the Slow Vital Capacity (SVC) and excellent intra-examiner repeatability
Summary
Measurements of lung volumes are used in clinical practice in order to screen for functional abnormalities and to estimate the degree of loss of pulmonary function[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. One of these volumes is the slow vital capacity (SVC), defined as the largest amount of air a person can exhale, slowly, after a maximal inspiration[2,3,6]. This study seeks to define how well NC may correlate with spirometric through the validity of the NC from a slow vital capacity value previously set and repeatability by the same examiner
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