Initial evaluation of patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
| INVESTIGATION | TARGET MEASUREMENT |
|---|---|
| Dyspnea | Medical Research Council dyspnea grade (disease severity) |
| Exposure history | Smoking, airborne pollutants |
| Family history | α1-Antitrypsin deficiency |
| Examination | Body mass index, edema, side effects of corticosteroids |
| Spirometry | Confirm diagnosis |
| Chest x-ray scan | Rule out other causes or comorbidity |
| Arterial blood gas test (if FEV1 is < 40% of predicted) | Assess for hypoxemia and hypercapnia |
| Exercise testing | 6-min walk test or cardiopulmonary exercise test |
| Sputum induction | Evaluate for eosinophilic or neutrophilic bronchitis |
| Bone densitometry | Assess for osteopenia and osteoporosis |
| Echocardiogram | Assess cardiac function and pulmonary hypertension |
| Screening for depression or anxiety | Look for comorbid psychiatric symptoms |
FEV1—forced expiratory volume of air in 1 second.