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ChapterInternal Medicine Pulmonology (COPD, asthma, interstitial lung disease)

Pulmonary function testing interpretation

Free notes, MCQs, tables & flowcharts for USMLE Step 3 Internal Medicine

10Questions
9Flashcards
1Tables & Flowcharts

Sample Questions

1

A 60-year-old woman presents to the clinic with a 3-month history of shortness of breath that worsens on exertion. She also complains of chronic cough that has lasted for 10 years. Her symptoms are worsened even with light activities like climbing up a flight of stairs. She denies any weight loss, lightheadedness, or fever. Her medical history is significant for hypertension, for which she takes amlodipine daily. She has a 70-pack-year history of cigarette smoking and drinks 3–4 alcoholic beverages per week. Her blood pressure today is 128/84 mm Hg. A chest X-ray shows flattening of the diaphragm bilaterally. Physical examination is notable for coarse wheezing bilaterally. Which of the following is likely to be seen with pulmonary function testing?

ADecreased FEV1: FVC and decreased total lung capacity

BNormal FEV1: FVC and decreased total lung capacity

CIncreased FEV1: FVC and decreased total lung capacity

DDecreased FEV1: FVC and increased total lung capacity

EIncreased FEV1: FVC and normal total lung capacity

2

A 62-year-old man presents to the emergency department for evaluation of a 2-year history of increasing shortness of breath. He also has an occasional nonproductive cough. The symptoms get worse with exertion. The medical history is significant for hypertension and he takes chlorthalidone. He is a smoker with a 40-pack-year smoking history. On physical examination, the patient is afebrile; the vital signs include: blood pressure 125/78 mm Hg, pulse 90/min, and respiratory rate 18/min. The body mass index (BMI) is 31 kg/m2. The oxygen saturation is 94% at rest on room air. A pulmonary examination reveals decreased breath sounds bilaterally, but is otherwise normal with no wheezes or crackles. The remainder of the examination is unremarkable. A chest radiograph shows hyperinflation of both lungs with mildly increased lung markings, but no focal findings. Based on this clinical presentation, which of the following is most likely?

ADecreased total lung capacity

BIncreased DLCO

CMetabolic acidosis

DFEV1/FVC of 80% with an FEV1 of 82%

EFEV1/FVC of 65%

3

A 55-year-old man with a 60 pack-year smoking history is referred by his primary care physician for a pulmonary function test (PFT). A previously obtained chest x-ray is shown below. Which of the following will most likely appear in his PFT report?

AResidual volume increased, total lung capacity decreased

BResidual volume normal, total lung capacity decreased

CResidual volume normal, total lung capacity normal

DResidual volume decreased, total lung capacity increased

EResidual volume increased, total lung capacity increased

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