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Original paper
Could routine spirometry suggest sensitisation in the military medicine setting?
  1. Ignazio Cirillo1,
  2. F Gallo2 and
  3. G Ciprandi3
  1. 1 Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Italian Navy, La Spezia, Italy
  2. 2 Biostatistics Dept, Universita degli Studi di Genova Scuola di Scienze Mediche e Farmaceutiche, Genova, Liguria, Italy
  3. 3 Internal Medicine, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
  1. Correspondence to Dr G Ciprandi, Internal Medicine, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy; gio.cip{at}libero.it

Abstract

Introduction Providing evidence of sensitisation is the formal requirement for allergy diagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether spirometry may be able to predict sensitisation in a representative cohort of Italian Navy military personnel.

Methods 2043 (1875 men, 168 women, mean age 28.35±11.6 years) Italian Navy military personnel were enrolled into this study. Spirometry and skin prick testing were performed to predict sensitisation.

Results Sensitisation, assessed by skin prick test, was documented in 658 (32.2%) subjects. Impaired forced expiratory flow at the 25% and 75% of the pulmonary volume (FEF25–75) as demonstrated on spirometry was detected in 82 subjects, of whom 69 were sensitised (P<0.0001). Impaired FEF25–75 was significantly associated with sensitisation (OR 7.43; 95% CI 4.04 to 14.66; P<0.0001).

Discussion The findings of this study suggest that impaired FEF25–75 may predict sensitisation in this cohort of Italian Navy personnel. This outcome is relevant in the military medical setting, as it could allow early identification of subjects with subclinical asthma.

  • spirometry
  • sensitisation
  • fef25-75
  • italian navy

https://doi.org/10.1136/jramc-2017-000841

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors IC collected clinical data and discussed the findings. FG analysed the data. GC designed the study and wrote the paper.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent Obtained.

    • Ethics approval The Italian Navy Review Board approved the study procedures.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.