Related to this topic: Leaflets | Support | Patient+ | Diagrams | UK Guidelines | Online Videos | News | Weblinks | Poem/Story | Equipment | Books | Your Experience | Other resources | Glossaries
Print options: Printer friendly version of this leaflet (html)     Other options:  AddThis Social Bookmark Button (what's this?)

PatientPlus articles are written for doctors and so the language can be technical. However, some people find that they add depth to the articles found in the other sections of this website which are written for non-medical people.

Spirometry Calculator

See also our record on Spirometry

Spirometry Calculator1 version1.2

Age

Sex

Height (cm)

Predicted

FEV1

FVC

FEV1/FVC Ratio

PEFR

Measurements made in Spirometry
Abbreviation Measurement Description
VC (SVC) Vital capacity
(Slow vital capacity)
Maximal amount of air exhaled steadily from full inspiration to maximal expiration (not time dependent). It should be >80% of predicted, reduced in restrictive disease.
FVC Forced vital capacity Volume of lungs from full inspiration to forced maximal expiration. It is reduced in restrictive disease, and in obstructive disease if air trapping occurs.
FEV1 Forced expiratory volume in one second Volume of air expelled in the first second of a forced expiration. Reduced in both obstructive and restrictive disease.
FEV1%
(FER)
Forced expiratory ratio
(FEV1/FVC)x100
Percentage of FVC expelled in the first second of a forced expiration.
Normal in restrictive disease - reduced in obstructive disease.
FEF 25-75% Forced Expiratory Flow between 25-75% Average expiratory flow rate at the middle part of forced expiration. It is a more sensitive indication of what is happening in the middle/lower airways, but is not as reproducible as FEV1. Normal in restrictive disease.
PEFR Peak expiratory flow rate Maximum rate of airflow achieved during expiration

References, footnotes and further reading

  1. Gore CJ, Crockett AJ, Pederson DG, Booth ML, Bauman A, Owen N. Spirometric standards for healthy adult lifetime nonsmokers in Australia. Eur Respir J. 1995 May;8(5):773-82.

Acknowledgements EMIS is grateful to Dr Huw Thomas for this calculator. ©EMIS 2007





















Disclaimer: Patient UK has no control of the content of the above links. Inclusion does not imply endorsement by Patient UK.

Advertise on this site














Disclaimer: Patient UK has no control of the content of the above links. Inclusion does not imply endorsement by Patient UK.

Advertise on this site


PS - Health and Poverty

Perhaps the biggest cause of ill health in the world is poverty. Help to Make Poverty History. For example, why not lend some of your money to disadvantaged communities to enable them to trade their way out of poverty through schemes such as Shared Interest.

See also MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY North East for details and links to campaigns against poverty.

^ Top of Page