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Lung function testing in health and disease: Issues pertaining to Asia–Pacific populations
Author(s) -
IP Mary S.M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
respirology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1440-1843
pISSN - 1323-7799
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2010.01850.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ethnic group , asia pacific , lung function , disease , function (biology) , promotion (chess) , normative , health care , resource (disambiguation) , intensive care medicine , pathology , lung , economic growth , computer science , international trade , business , evolutionary biology , biology , economics , political science , politics , law , computer network
The Asia–Pacific region comprise of diverse ethnic populations and healthcare systems of highly variable developmental stages. We face challenges in lung function testing, many of which are different from the issues encountered in the west. In some places, access to proper lung function testing facilities is very limited due to resource constraints or geographic inconvenience. It is important to note the potential differences of normative values in Asia–Pacific populations, compared with established values derived from populations of Caucasian ethnicity, hence the need to choose from available prediction formulae the ones that most closely approximate the subjects being tested. The criteria for defining abnormality is a hot topic globally. In the Asia–Pacific region, the trade‐off between simplicity and thus ease of application and the pitfall of under‐ or over‐diagnosis based on fixed cut‐off values has to be recognized. The promotion of wider availability and proper utilization of lung function testing will go a long way in the enhancement of respiratory health and disease management in the region.