Pulmonary Function Testing

General reviews

Clinics in Chest Medicine, volume 22, number 4, December 2001 contains reviews on the measurement and interpretation of the entire spectrum of pulmonary function testing.  A particular strength is the discussion of how the pathophysiologic changes associated with various disease states are reflected in studies of pulmonary function.
Pellegrino R, Viegi G, Brusasco V, et al.  Interpretative strategies for lung function tests. Eur Respir J  2005: 26:948-68.  An excellent comprehensive review of reference equations, types of ventilatory defects, PFT and DLCO interpretation, severity classifications, bronchodilator response thresholds, central and upper airway processes, and interpretation of changes in pulmonary function. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?itool=abstractplus&db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=abstractplus&list_uids=16264058  

Exercise Testing

Weisman IM, Zeballos RJ. Clinical exercise testing. Clin Chest Med 2001;22:679-701. The        focus is on cardiopulmonary exercise testing, but this review also briefly summarizes the 6-minute walk, testing for exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, and cardiac stress testing.  An excellent starting point for the novice. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11787659

ATS/ACCP Statement on cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2003; 167:211-77.  Somewhere between a textbook and a clinical review, this article provides more details on CPET than the above Weisman article. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12524257

ATS statement: guidelines for the six-minute walk test. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2002; 166:111-7. This statement reviews indications, details factors that influence results, presents a brief step-by-step protocol, outlines safety measures, describes proper patient preparation and procedures, and offers guidelines for clinical interpretation of results http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12091180?ordinalpos=2&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum