5-Minute Check In: The Impact of Race and Ethnicity in Pulmonary Function Testing

5-Minute Clinical Update and Grand Rounds with Dr. Thomas McGinn

As part of our ongoing commitment to advancing health equity and evidence-based medicine, CommonSpirit Health has been leading the way in adjusting the use of race and ethnicity in various clinical calculators, first with eGFR and now with pulmonary function tests. In this 5-minute check in, we take a look at:
The history and flawed assumptions in the use of race and how race-specific PFT reference equations lead to health disparity including misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment.
Updated recommendations from the American Thoracic Society (ATS) to remove the use of race in the evaluation and interpretation of spirometry in favor of race-neutral equations.
The application of race-neutral GLI equations on clinical decision-making and overall impact on patient outcomes.
The next steps CommonSpirit is taking to transition the equation to race-neutral.
Supporting articles:
https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.202302-0310ST
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M23-2960
Guest: Dr. Thomas Vendegna, Pulmonologist and Critical Care and CMO French Hospital Medical Center