Vandevoorde J, Heyvaert G, Devroey D. The use of spirometry in Belgian primary care. ERS 2010, 20th Annual Conference, September 18-22, 2010, Barcelona, Spain
Eerste auteur: Vandevoorde Jan
Jaar: 2010
Type: Congres
Abstract:
Aim: to evaluate the use of spirometry by Belgian general practitioners (GPs) who attended an accredited spirometry training at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB).
Methods: all participating GPs of an 11-hr spirometry course at the VUB received a letter and an e-mail with an invitation to participate in an online survey on the implementation of spirometry in their practice. In addition, a short knowledge test was performed, consisting of the interpretation of three spirometric curves.
Results: A total of 536 GPs were contacted. Of the 148 participants (response rate: 28%), 127 (86.4%) declared to have a spirometer in their practice, of which 99 (77.3%) used it frequently. The GPs performed monthly an average number of 1.9 spirometries before the course and 5.0 after the course (p <0.0001). The average duration of the test with or without reversibility testing was estimated at 25.5 min (SD=12.3) and 13.7 min (SD=5.6), respectively. Most GPs (65%) preferred to carry out spirometry in their own practice instead of referring their patients to a lung function laboratory. The majority of the participants declared to have acquired enough knowledge to perform (82%) and to interpret (64%) their spirometries. In the knowledge test, 39% of the participants correctly assessed all three curves, whereas 70% gave a correct interpretation of at least two curves. GPs performing spirometry regularly were more likely to give a correct interpretation (OR=3.66, p = 0.002).
Conclusion: The majority of GPs who attended an accredited spirometry course at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel declared to have a spirometer in their practice and used it regularly. Regular use lead to a more correct interpretation of spirometric examinations.
Trefwoorden: Spirometry
Primary Care