Reference

Stenton S, Beach JR, Avery AJ et al, The value of questionnaires and spirometry in asthma surveillance programmes in the workplace, Occup Med (London), 1993;43:203-206,

BOHRF Original Authors' Main Conclusions

The original authors' main conclusions are taken from Abstract, Results and Discussion. They are decided upon by the authors of the BOHRF occupational asthma guidelines and form part of the guidelines.

Shipyard workers and job applicants completed an asthma questionnaire, and also underwent measurements of ventilatory lung function (FEV1, FEV1/FVC and PEFR) and airway responsiveness. The questionnaire symptoms (wheeze, chest tightness, undue coughing or abnormal breathlessness) had a low (28%) sensitivity for detecting definite or possible asthmatic activity and a specificity of only 73%. The sensitivity of the ventilatory function tests (any one abnormal) was also low at 21% with a specificity of 92%. When the FEV1 < 80 per cent predicted criterion was considered separately, its sensitivity was 11% and its specificity was 98%. Results illustrate that caution is needed when interpreting the results of questionnaires and measurements of ventilatory lung function in the diagnosis of asthma among working populations

BOHRF Associated Evidence Statements

The BOHRF occupational asthma guidelines state that this reference is associated with the following evidence statements

* 3 Screening questionnaires may lead to an underestimate of the prevalence of asthmatic symptoms.

Non Bohrf Information

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