PFT TMC Example style question

A patient’s pulmonary function results are:

%of predicted

• SVC 85
• FVC 82
• FEV1 72
• FEV1/FVC% 61
• DLCO 18
  

Which is the patient’s disease?

1. Pulmonary Fibrosis
2. Asthma
3. Emphysema
4. Myasthenia gravis

The correct answer is 3.  The FEV1 and FEV1/ FVC make it obstructive (FEV1/FVC <75% and FEV1 <80%)  Asthma is also an obstructive disorder but emphysema is the only obstructive disorder that has a decreased DLCO.