Hi, I recently had a pulmonary function test and I’m hoping to get some clarification. I am a 49-year-old Caucasian woman, 167 cm tall. My PFT results were:
FEV₁: 90% predicted
FVC: 103% predicted (I have practiced yoga breathing exercises for about 20 years)
FEV₁/FVC ratio: 69% (LLN 69.4%, so just slightly below the LLN)
FEF₍₂₅–₇₅₎: 64% predicted, which is still above the LLN for my age and height
My doctor was not concerned and felt the results looked normal. However, I’ve seen online that some clinicians still use the fixed 70% ratio as a cutoff for obstruction. I also had only a small improvement after bronchodilator, though my FEF₂₅–₇₅ improved by about 14%.
Given this, should I consider getting a second opinion?