Indication for Spirometry and Pattern of Lung Functions among Patients in a Tertiary Health Institution in Northwest Nigeria: A Three-Year Review

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the indications for spirometry and lung function patterns among patients attending a tertiary health institution in Northwestern Nigeria.

Methods: The study involved a total of 238 patients who had spirometry done between 2018 and 2020 at the Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina. Patient records, including age, gender, height, weight, BMI, indication for spirometry, and spirometry parameters, were extracted from the unit register. All spirometry tests were conducted using a standard field spirometer. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.

Results:  Restrictive pattern of lung function was found in 29.8% of the total patients reviewed while the obstructive pattern accounted for 15.1% and only 4.6% had a mixed pattern of lung function. The commonest indication for spirometry recorded was asthma (37%) while COPD accounted for 17.6% in the reviewed years.

Conclusion: Asthma, medical check-ups, and COPD were the common indications for spirometry, and restrictive lung function was the predominant pattern observed among patients.