ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights the patterns of change in the major lung function indices for the most commonly encountered respiratory diseases. For simplicity, only the indices which would be expected to fall outside of the normal range are included. The airway diseases include Asthma, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Bronchiolitis, Bronchiectasis, Large airway obstruction - variable extrathoracic, Large airway obstruction - variable intrathoracic, Fixed upper airway obstruction, Restrictive diseases interstitial lung disease, Pleural disease (with no accompanying interstitial involvement), Chest wall deformity, Muscle weakness, Post-pulmonary resection surgery (e.g. lobectomy, pneumonectomy), Pulmonary vascular disease pulmonary arterial hypertension, Recurrent pulmonary emboli, Chronic pulmonary venous congestion, Carbon monoxide poisoning, Changes to major lung function indices with disease. The patterns of abnormality are unique. Discriminative indices are indicted in bold. Although not every case exhibits the typical abnormality, the pattern of change may point to the aetiology.
