Understanding Lung functions test - posting for Gwen

[Alysia]

Hi.
Our friend Gwen asked me to post for her the results of lung functions test. Is there any one who can "read" and explain it ?
On the top of the first one it was written: 6 min walk test 2412
2413

Thank you ♡

[vdub]

I have gone through all the tests several times, but the only one I can comment on is the SO2. I don't know anything about the other values.

SO2 is the percent saturation of oxygen in the blood. 95 and above is normal, but the 77 is way low. Anything lower than 90 is of concern.

There could be several things that impact the oxygen saturation level. First, would be the ability of the lungs to take in air. If the diaphragm has limited function, then you can't take in a full breath. Second, would be the ability of the lungs to transfer the oxygen to the blood stream. For example, scar tissue in the lungs would impact the amount of transfer regardless of how well the lungs can expand to take a full breath of air.

Hope this helps. I have a diaphragmatic plication coming up this summer or fall. Not looking forward to it.

[Alysia]

I have gone through all the tests several times, but the only one I can comment on is the SO2. I don't know anything about the other values.

SO2 is the percent saturation of oxygen in the blood. 95 and above is normal, but the 77 is way low. Anything lower than 90 is of concern.

There could be several things that impact the oxygen saturation level. First, would be the ability of the lungs to take in air. If the diaphragm has limited function, then you can't take in a full breath. Second, would be the ability of the lungs to transfer the oxygen to the blood stream. For example, scar tissue in the lungs would impact the amount of transfer regardless of how well the lungs can expand to take a full breath of air.

Hope this helps. I have a diaphragmatic plication coming up this summer or fall. Not looking forward to it.

Thank you vdub. I just tought how much you are dealing with, and at the same time how you keep on helping others, with your good spirits and wisdom.
I googled that surgery of you Medscape: Medscape Access (http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1970326-overview#a1)
Prognosis looks good.
I wonder if respiratory therapy can help or if it is dangerous. In Phil's case we suspected that it caused damages.
Keep on your courage and fighting spirit. A veteran is a veteran, isnt it ?
Keeping you in my prayers.

[Alysia]

Gwen, I found this one A Stepwise Approach to the Interpretation of Pulmonary Function Tests - American Family Physician (http://www.aafp.org/afp/2014/0301/p359.html)
Maybe it can be useful.
Any help is still more then welcomed. Thanks.

[vdub]

Thanks so much, Alysia! The link you sent has some information I haven't seen before. I'm definitely going to check on phrenic nerve repair. I've had 5 or 6 surgeries in the last 6 years that were a direct result of wegs and this one on my lungs appears to be the most dangerous. I found this link the other day -- its a study on the odds of success over the long term (2 to 3 yrs)...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2996377/#po=36.7647

The study below compares the success of phrenic nerve repair vs diaphragmatic plication. It looks like they are about on par, but I still can't get it through my head how plication helps. It seems contrary that "flattening" the diaphragm would help that much. Also, if you flatten the diaphragm by pulling it tighter, do you take a risk of it thinning or tearing? These are some questions I need to ask the surgeon.
Functional restoration of diaphragmatic paralysis: an evaluation of phrenic nerve reconstruction. - PubMed - NCBI (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24266954)

Thanks again for the info, vw

[Alysia]

Those are important questions to ask, vdub. I think one point is to ask the surgeon about the flexibility of the lung tissues to be back to where they were before. And if there is a way to "help" those tissues. Phil's tissues couldn't because they were with too many scars.

[vdub]

about the flexibility of the lung tissues to be back to where they were before
That's an excellent question and something I haven't considered!

Prior to getting sick, I used to be a runner. I'd run anywhere from 5 to 8 miles a day and loved it. If I took two weeks off when on holiday, I remember my first run would seem to bust open the unused portion of my lungs and I would cough a lot. Now its been almost a year without use, so I'm sure the one paralyzed lung will have to "break open".

[BookNut]

I know that my doctor pays a lot of attention to my FEV1 reading. She is happy when it is around 78 or 80%. People with COPD generally have an FEV1 level that is CONSISTENTLY on the low side, varying by just a few percentage points. The lower the percentage the worse their condition. Generally that reading does not go up or down to any great degree. I do NOT have COPD. With me, and mine varies hugely. It will be up around 80% for a period of time, and then if I eat any grain, it starts dropping. When I go into the doctor the number will have dropped to around 50%, and I have to go on high doses of prednisone. I have gotten as low as 30%. that was last Easter, and my doctor called the ambulance to have me carted off to the hospital. Hope this helps. I cannot read your friends percentage. It looks like it might be in the 80s - but it could be the 60s. And I believe acceptable percentages might be based on age and other factors.

[vdub]

I got a call from my rheumy yesterday to discuss my lung condition. He doesn't think the problem is caused by wegs, but didn't say what he thought it was caused by. It probably doesn't make a difference what the cause is, though. Its still something that has to be fixed.

[Alysia]

I got a call from my rheumy yesterday to discuss my lung condition. He doesn't think the problem is caused by wegs, but didn't say what he thought it was caused by. It probably doesn't make a difference what the cause is, though. Its still something that has to be fixed.

I think that the question if it is caused by wg or not is an important question because if it is caused by wg, it might indicate wg activity which must be treated, and also it might happen again if the wg is not under control. I hope your doc is right but better to challenge him with that.

[TommyG]

My doctors mainly use the lung function test to compare it to previous tests. Mainly to check for stability or changes in my lungs. My lung doctor prefers and so do I a Lung CT to see if there might be disease activity in my lungs. best wishes