Figure. Screening for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using spirometry: clinical summary of a U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation statement.

For a summary of the evidence systematically reviewed in making this recommendation, the full recommendation statement of Screening for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Using Spirometry, and supporting documents, please go to http://www.preventiveservices.ahrq.gov. *The potential benefit of spirometry-based screening for COPD is prevention of 1 or more exacerbations by treating patients found to have previously undetected airflow obstruction. However, even in groups with the greatest prevalence of airflow obstruction, hundreds of patients would need to be screened with spirometry to defer 1 exacerbation.

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