Aims

At the end of the course, the student should understand and interpret pulmonary function tests, and understand their indications and limits.

Main themes

Topics
-Respiratory mechanics
-Spirometry
-Static pulmonary volume measurement.
-Airway and pulmonary resistance measurement.
-Diffusion capacity.
-Tests of specific and non specific airway reactivity.
-Cardiopulmonary exercise testing
-Blood gas analysis and acid-base disorders.
-Polysomnography.
-Respiratory muscles assessment.
-Functional assessment of a dyspneic patient.

Content and teaching methods

The objective of this course will be to make the physician familiar with the technicalities including calibration and maintenance, performance and interpretation of lung functions. There will be lectures on clinical spirometry regarding the indications, limitations, equipments quality control, static lung volumes and capacities, dynamic lung volumes and flow rates, and there will be lectures on airway resistance and compliance, diffusing capacity, exercise and bronchoprovocation testing. There will demonstration on instrumentation and techniques, in pulmonary functions tests, interpretation of pulmonary function tests, maintenance and care of equipment.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

The course may include practical demonstrations.
Examination : oral and/or written
Bibliography : Gibson GJ. Clinical Tests of Respiratory Function, ed 2. London, Chapman & Hall

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