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Oasys now has 3 methods for identifying occupational asthma, what are the strengths and weaknesses of each?

Oasys now has 3 methods for identifying occupational asthma, what are the strengths and weaknesses of each?
This table is taken from a talk given to the NIVA conference on occupational airways disease in Stockholm 2009, about diagnosing occupational asthma from serial peak flow records. It compares the strengths and weaknesses of the 3 main scores in the Oasys program.

A "+" signifies a strong point, "-" a weak point and "+/-" somewhere imbetween.

  Oasys Score ABC Timepoint
<4 readings/day  +  -
 -
<8 readings/day  +  +/- 
 +/- 
Variable waking time  +  +/- 
 - 
Variable timed readings  +  +
 - 
Small changes  +/-  - 
 +
10-14 day record  -  +
 +
<3 consecutive workdays  -  +
 +

 

The Oasys score is the most tolerent of missing and mistimed readings, but requires longer records (at least 3 weeks) and at least 3 consecutive workdays in each work period. The timepoint analysis requires readings taken at the same times on work and rest days, both timepoint and ABC are best with 8 readings/day with at least 8 workdays and 3 restdays, but can cope with non-consecutive workdays better than the Oasys score.

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