Sensitivity and specificity of bronchial provocation testing: an evaluation of four techniques in exercise-induced bronchospasm
AH Eliasson, YY Phillips, KR Rajagopal, RS Howard - Chest, 1992 - Elsevier
The thresholds used to define a positive result for bronchial provocation challenges (BPC)
are arbitrary. Requiring smaller decrements in expired flow to define a positive study would
capture more cases of reactive airways (increased sensitivity) but would include some
“normal” responses (decreased specificity). To examine the relationship between threshold
definition and the ability to correctly classify subjects as either normal or as having airways
hyperresponsiveness (AHR), four different BPC tests were administered on different days to …
are arbitrary. Requiring smaller decrements in expired flow to define a positive study would
capture more cases of reactive airways (increased sensitivity) but would include some
“normal” responses (decreased specificity). To examine the relationship between threshold
definition and the ability to correctly classify subjects as either normal or as having airways
hyperresponsiveness (AHR), four different BPC tests were administered on different days to …