Validation of a screening procedure for chronic nonspecific respiratory disease.

Abstract

The Philadelphia Tuberculosis and Health Association surveyed 2,825 adults with a 70-mm photofluorogram, a questionnaire, and ventilatory tests. A selected sample of 71 individuals was carefully evaluated in one of four pulmonary physiology laboratories by history, physical examination, and a battery of pulmonary function tests to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the screen. In screening for chronic obstructive lung diseases, if this was defined as expectoration and/or a forced vital capacity below 62% of predicted by Baldwin standards and/or a one-second forced expiratory volume below 66% of observed vital capacity, the sensitivity was 79% and specificity was 72%, If the one-second forced expiratory volume below 66% was used alone, the sensitivity was only 42%, but the specificity was 96%.