Abstract
Purpose: Objective documentation of airflow obstruction is often lacking inhospitalized patients treated for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). The utility of spirometry performed in hospitalized patients to identify airflow obstruction, and thus a diagnosis of COPD, is unclear. Our aim was to compare inpatient spirometry, performed during an AECOPD, with outpatient spirometry. Methods: A retrospective analysis of data from patients enrolled in an AECOPD care plan was performed. As part of the plan, patients underwent inpatient spirometry to establish a COPD diagnosis and outpatient clinic spirometry within 4 weeks of hospital discharge to confirm it. Data analyzed included forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)), forced vital capacity (FVC), slow vital capacity (SVC) and FEV(1)/ vital capacity (VC). Obstruction was defined by FEV(1)/VC<0.70. Results: A total of 159 patients (mean age 63.2 +/- 10.5 years) had corresponding in- and outpatient spirometry. The median days between inpatient and outpatient spirometry was 12 (interquartile range [IQR] 9-16). Inpatient spirometry had a sensitivity of 94%, specificity of 24%, positive predictive value of 83% and negative predictive value of 53% for predicting outpatient obstruction. The area under curve for using inpatient spirometry was 0.82. The mean difference between inpatient and outpatient FEV(1) was 0.44 +/- 0.03 liters or 17.3 +/- 1.13 % predicted (p<0.0001) for FEV(1). Conclusions: Inpatient spirometry accurately predicts outpatient airflow obstruction, thus providing an opportunity to identify patients admitted with suspected AECOPD who have no prior spirometric documentation.