Pulmonary Tests,

[dannydad]

during my retirement physical the docs gave me a pft test, the results indicated i passed.Is that a "normal" test given to all retirees,or is it event driven?{if you indicate a breathing problem you would get tested otherwise no test} On my test i was told "I passed".what is the passing percentage 90%,80%,70% ???.i cannot find the test results in my c-file. I 'm hoping someone out there would know.THANKS

[carlie]

danny,

Welcome to Hadit.

I do not believe that a PFT is generally done

on a DOD exit physical.

jmho,

carlie

[dannydad]

carlie, I think you are correct. Now I'm in a situation where I'm trying to service connect the COPD and the raters say I don't have evidence that COPD was active during my active duty- I have gone back to them asking about the PFT Test.Even thou I passed it, There is an indication that something was wrong!!! does that make sense or have i been fooled again by common sense ???

[Vync]

Danny,

The PFT's generally are used to help diagnose things like bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, COPD, and other illnesses. The significance of PFT's is important, but not the final determining factor if you are interested in having a respiratory illness considered for service connection.

For example, I am 10% service-connected for asthma. Using the chart below, you can see the range of where my FEV-1 results were from the PFT given during my C&P exam. An FEV-1 result above 80% means your breathing is considered normal, with respect to asthma. Please note that there may be other factors which would warrant an increase, though not due to the FEV-1 results alone. Usually these are related to the frequency of use of inhalers, steroids, or other medications. In my case, I recently requested an increase in service-connection rating to 30% because I take inhaled steroids/anti-inflammatories daily, and also a further increase to 60% because I was given oral and IV prednisone (i.e. systemic steroids) three times within the last year.

§4.97 Schedule of ratings—respiratory system

(www.warms.vba.va.gov/regs/38CFR/BOOKC/PART4/S4_97.DOC)

This link will tell you various illnesses and the way the VA determines the service-connected disability percentage. Be sure to look through this carefully to identify any conditions which may impact you.

For example:

6602 Asthma, bronchial:

FEV-1 less than 40-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC less than

40 percent, or; more than one attack per week with episodes of

respiratory failure, or; requires daily use of systemic (oral or

parenteral) high dose corticosteroids or immuno-suppressive

medications 100

FEV-1 of 40- to 55-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 40 to 55

percent, or; at least monthly visits to a physician for required

care of exacerbations, or; intermittent (at least three per year)

courses of systemic (oral or parenteral) corticosteroids 60

FEV-1 of 56- to 70-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 56 to 70

percent, or; daily inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy,

or; inhalational anti-inflammatory medication 30

FEV-1 of 71- to 80-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 71 to 80

percent, or; intermittent inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy 10

Note: In the absence of clinical findings of asthma at time of examination, a verified history of asthmatic attacks must be of record.

[*Bergie*]

carlie, I think you are correct. Now I'm in a situation where I'm trying to service connect the COPD and the raters say I don't have evidence that COPD was active during my active duty- I have gone back to them asking about the PFT Test.Even thou I passed it, There is an indication that something was wrong!!! does that make sense or have i been fooled again by common sense ???

Danny,

I have had 3 PFT's since my return from Iraq, along with 3 bronchoscopies. What you need is the actual report and graph. The numbers can then be interpreted. I suggest you try finding the exit physical PFT and ask your civilian doctor for a referal to pulmonology. Once there they can conduct a PFT and compare to your exit PFT.

Good luck,

Bergie

[Vync]

Danny,

What was your FEV-1 value?

You might need an independent medical opinion or nexus letter from a physician stating your current condition is related to your military service. These carry a lot of weight.

Try to dig through every service treatment records you have and look for anything which might be related to treatment for a respiratory condition. Notice below that the COPD table's FEV-1 numbers are very similar to the asthma rating table, but the alternative criteria is a bit different. If you had a similar respiratory condition while in the service, you might want to go that route and then seek to get COPD as secondary connected to the initial illness.

6604 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease:

FEV-1 less than 40 percent of predicted value, or; the ratio of

Forced Expiratory Volume in one second to Forced Vital Capacity

(FEV-1/FVC) less than 40 percent, or; Diffusion Capacity of the

Lung for Carbon Monoxide by the Single Breath Method (DLCO

(SB)) less than 40-percent predicted, or; maximum exercise capacity

less than 15 ml/kg/min oxygen consumption (with cardiac or

respiratory limitation), or; cor pulmonale (right heart failure), or;

right ventricular hypertrophy, or; pulmonary hypertension (shown

by Echo or cardiac catheterization), or; episode(s) of acute

respiratory failure, or; requires outpatient oxygen therapy. 100

FEV-1 of 40- to 55-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 40 to 55

percent, or; DLCO (SB) of 40- to 55-percent predicted, or;

maximum oxygen consumption of 15 to 20 ml/kg/min (with

cardiorespiratory limit) 60

FEV-1 of 56- to 70-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 56 to 70

percent, or; DLCO (SB) 56- to 65-percent predicted 30

FEV-1 of 71- to 80-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 71 to 80

percent, or; DLCO (SB) 66- to 80-percent predicted 10

[dannydad]

Danny,

The PFT's generally are used to help diagnose things like bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, COPD, and other illnesses. The significance of PFT's is important, but not the final determining factor if you are interested in having a respiratory illness considered for service connection.

For example, I am 10% service-connected for asthma. Using the chart below, you can see the range of where my FEV-1 results were from the PFT given during my C&P exam. An FEV-1 result above 80% means your breathing is considered normal, with respect to asthma. Please note that there may be other factors which would warrant an increase, though not due to the FEV-1 results alone. Usually these are related to the frequency of use of inhalers, steroids, or other medications. In my case, I recently requested an increase in service-connection rating to 30% because I take inhaled steroids/anti-inflammatories daily, and also a further increase to 60% because I was given oral and IV prednisone (i.e. systemic steroids) three times within the last year.

§4.97 Schedule of ratings—respiratory system

(www.warms.vba.va.gov/regs/38CFR/BOOKC/PART4/S4_97.DOC)

This link will tell you various illnesses and the way the VA determines the service-connected disability percentage. Be sure to look through this carefully to identify any conditions which may impact you.

For example:

6602 Asthma, bronchial:

FEV-1 less than 40-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC less than

40 percent, or; more than one attack per week with episodes of

respiratory failure, or; requires daily use of systemic (oral or

parenteral) high dose corticosteroids or immuno-suppressive

medications 100

FEV-1 of 40- to 55-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 40 to 55

percent, or; at least monthly visits to a physician for required

care of exacerbations, or; intermittent (at least three per year)

courses of systemic (oral or parenteral) corticosteroids 60

FEV-1 of 56- to 70-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 56 to 70

percent, or; daily inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy,

or; inhalational anti-inflammatory medication 30

FEV-1 of 71- to 80-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 71 to 80

percent, or; intermittent inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy 10

Note: In the absence of clinical findings of asthma at time of examination, a verified history of asthmatic attacks must be of record.

I will have to search THE C-file at the ro's office since its not in my copy.