Measuring lung function in obstructive airways diseases like Asthma and COPD is essential for diagnosis, determining the severity, and in the development of a treatment plan including prescribing medications.

Spirometry has been the gold standard in measuring lung function for those with airway obstruction diseases and is a forced breathing maneuver that is highly dependent on patient effort and technician coaching.

On the other hand, Oscillometry is a simple breathing test in which the subject breathes normally while sound waves are used to measure the small airways for resistance and reactance. But are these tests measuring the same responses?

The two are not interchangeable even though both methods are used for diagnosis.

Oscillometry

In fact, Oscillometry is an important supplement to spirometry. Use of this test can detect small airway hyper-responsiveness giving clinicians more information about the patient’s prognosis for asthma or COPD.

In addition, if a bronchodilator is used, these tests show very different results suggesting that Oscillometry may be useful in early evaluation of disease as well as evaluating COPD patient’s reversibility.

Not only do these tests go hand in hand for diagnosis and severity, but the tests are performed in very different ways.

While spirometry testing is a forced breathing test that requires understanding and cooperation, Oscillometry only requires tidal breathing for about 20 seconds.

Both have advantages

Because of this, the testing can be more accurate for those that are very young and for those who are elderly or have dementia related problems.

Each test has its advantages, but the information obtained from both tests has a place in building a patient’s clinical profile when treating asthma and COPD.

Therefore, Morgan Scientific is proud to partner with Thorasys to provide the tremoflo for Airway Oscillometry (AOS) which integrates directly into ComPAS2.

For more information, please contact us at 978-521-4440, sales@morgansci.com, or visit us at https://www.morgansci.com/products/oscillometry/