Document Detail


Feasibility and validation of telespirometry in general practice: The Italian "Alliance" study.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19497726     Owner:  NLM     Status:  In-Process    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
INTRODUCTION: At variance from office spirometry, telespirometry has not been tested as a tool for improving the ability of general practitioners (GPs) to manage chronic airway diseases. METHODS: After adequate training, 937 Italian GPs agreed to perform telespirometry in subjects attending their clinics who had risk factors, persistent respiratory symptoms, or a previous diagnosis of asthma or COPD. Each subject performed at least three forced expiratory manoeuvres using a turbine spirometer. Traces were sent by telephone to a Telespirometry Central Office, where they were interpreted by a pulmonary specialist, according to defined criteria. The result was sent in real time to the GP to assist the management of the patient. RESULTS: During 2 years, 20,757 telespirometries were performed, with a mean of 22.2+/-25.2 examinations for each GP. 70% of the tests met the criteria for good or partial co-operation, allowing spirometric abnormalities to be detected in more than 40% of the tracings. The rate of telespirometries that could not be evaluated at all was reasonably low (9.2%). For a subset of the telespirometries, a comparison between acceptability criteria for telespirometry and those recommended for laboratory (ATS) or office spirometry showed that the majority of telespirometries with good co-operation satisfied completely, or with minor deviations, the ATS and Office criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Telespirometry was well accepted by Italian GPs, who obtained acceptable screening traces in a large percentage of subjects. Therefore it might be considered a useful alternative to office spirometry in improving the management of chronic airway diseases by GPs.
Authors:
M Bonavia; G Averame; W Canonica; C Cricelli; V Fogliani; C Grassi; A M Moretti; P Ferri; A Rossi; P L Paggiaro
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2009-06-04
Journal Detail:
Title:  Respiratory medicine     Volume:  103     ISSN:  1532-3064     ISO Abbreviation:  Respir Med     Publication Date:  2009 Nov 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-10-05     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8908438     Medline TA:  Respir Med     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1732-7     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Respiratory Department, Genova, Italy.
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