In order to collect respiratory function parameters, both gas helium dilution technique and whole-body plethysmography were used. All tests were performed post bronchodilatator.
For the quality of FVC and FEV
1 measurements, the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society test criteria for acceptability and repeatability were respected;14 (
link) from each spirometry and lung volume at least 3 measurements were taken to assure reproducibility.
Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were performed using the Master Screen Body (Jaeger, Hoechberg, Germany) equipped with the software
Lab Manager V5.32.0 (CareFusion, Hoechberg, Germany).
D’Ascanio M., Viccaro F., Calabrò N., Guerrieri G., Salvucci C., Pizzirusso D., Mancini R., De Vitis C., Pezzuto A, & Ricci A. (2020). Assessing Static Lung Hyperinflation by Whole-Body Plethysmography, Helium Dilution, and Impulse Oscillometry System (IOS) in Patients with COPD. International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, 15, 2583-2589.