First World Spirometry Day marked with workshop

MANILA, Philippines – Hundreds of millions of people around the world suffer each year from treatable and preventable chronic respiratory disease and to express the urgency for increased awareness and action on lung health.

The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), convening at the 40th Union World Conference on Lung Health in Cancún, Mexico on Dec. 6, declared 2010 the Year of the Lung.

Lung problems are prevalent in the Philippines and doctors rely on accurate diagnostic tests such as spirometry in assessing the lung function of patients.

Spirometry is a pulmonary function test that measures the volume of air that a patient inhales and exhales in a relaxed and forced manner.

Its readings are then compared with a table with normal values. Deviations from the normal values are indicative of possible pulmonary disorders such as COPD, tuberculosis or asthma.

Oct. 14 this year was also declared as the first World Spirometry Day and to celebrate it, the Council on Diagnostics and Therapeutics of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians organized a workshop on spirometry entitled “Spirometry Made Ridiculously Simple” held at the Quezon City Sports Club.

The council’s advocacy is “to promote awareness on the use of spirometry in the diagnosis of pulmonary diseases, especially among general practitioners and family medicine physicians,” said Dr. Janeth Samson, the council’s chairperson. 

“This way, it will not be just pulmonologists who will be able to understand and interpret spirometry readings,” she added.

After the opening remarks of PCCP president Dr. Abundio Balgos, the event proceeded with a lecture on the basics of spirometry results interpretation by Dr. Tim Trinidad, head of the Pulmonary Division of St. Luke’s Medical Center.  

All 100 participants afterwards were separated into small groups and given the chance to apply what they learned through an interactive workshop on data analysis and interpretation which was facilitated by the council members. 

Dr. Celeste Mae Campomanes, a member of the council and one of the drafters of the workshop module, subsequently summarized what they did in the workshop. 

The event ended with a lecture on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) by Dr. Luisito Idolor, past Council on COPD and Pulmonary Rehabilitation chairman.

The activity was made possible in partnership with United American Pharmaceuticals Inc. (UAP), the pulmo division of Unilab.

Various hospitals in Metro Manila simultaneously conducted spirometry-related activities, which included screening of patients with suspected lung problems.