Pulmonary function testing in bronchial asthma: standard and emerging techniques

Abstract

Despite the myriad of tests available to characterize bronchial asthma, the simple forced expiratory spirogram remains the most straight-forward and reliable technique to diagnose the disorder and gauge its severity. When combined with bronchodilator and bronchial challenge testing, a wide range of clinical situations can be evaluated, even in the office setting. A well-performed forced expiratory spirogram remains the cornerstone of pulmonary function testing; the emergence of the additional analytic techniques described holds the promise of even greater utility in the future.