| 1 | DVBCWRO1 ;ALB/ESW RESPIRATORY WKS TEXT - 1 ; 6 OCT 2000 | 
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| 2 | ;;2.7;AMIE;**34**;Apr 10, 1995 | 
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| 3 | ; | 
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| 4 | ; | 
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| 5 | TXT ; | 
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| 6 | ;;A. Review of Medical Records: | 
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| 7 | ;; | 
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| 8 | ;;B. Medical History (Subjective Complaints): | 
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| 9 | ;;    Comment on: | 
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| 10 | ;; | 
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| 11 | ;;    1. Productive cough, sputum, hemoptysis, and/or anorexia. | 
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| 12 | ;;    2. Extent of dyspnea on exertion. | 
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| 13 | ;;    3. If veteran is asthmatic, report frequency of attacks and | 
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| 14 | ;;       baseline functional status between attacks. | 
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| 15 | ;;    4. Treatment (type, frequency and duration including a need for | 
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| 16 | ;;       oxygen), response, side effects. | 
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| 17 | ;;    5. Describe frequency and duration of any periods of incapacitation | 
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| 18 | ;;       (defined as requiring bed rest and treatment by a physician). | 
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| 19 | ;; | 
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| 20 | ;;C. Physical Examination (Objective Findings): | 
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| 21 | ;; | 
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| 22 | ;;    Address each of the following as appropriate to the condition | 
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| 23 | ;;    being examined and fully describe current findings: | 
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| 24 | ;; | 
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| 25 | ;;    1. Presence of cor pulmonale, RVH, or pulmonary hypertension. | 
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| 26 | ;;    2. Weight loss or gain. | 
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| 27 | ;;    3. For restrictive disease, describe condition underlying restrictive | 
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| 28 | ;;       disease, e.g., kyphoscoliosis, pectus excavatum, etc., unless already | 
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| 29 | ;;       of record. | 
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| 30 | ;; | 
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| 31 | ;;D. Diagnostic and Clinical Tests: | 
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| 32 | ;;Provide: | 
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| 33 | ;; | 
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| 34 | ;;1. PULMONARY FUNCTION TESTS (unless carried out within past six months and | 
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| 35 | ;;   the report is either in the claims folder or will be attached to this | 
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| 36 | ;;   examination report, e.g., PFT's were in VAMC records at your facility). | 
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| 37 | ;;   Spirometric pulmonary function testing should include FVC,FEV-1, and | 
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| 38 | ;;   the FEV-1/FVC ratio. Both pre- and post-bronchodilatation test results should | 
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| 39 | ;;   be reported. If post-bronchodilatation testing is not conducted | 
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| 40 | ;;   in a particular case, please provide an explanation of why not. A DLCO may | 
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| 41 | ;;   or may not be done routinely as part of pulmonary function testing | 
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| 42 | ;;   at a particular facility. If there is a disparity between the results of | 
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| 43 | ;;   different tests, please indicate which tests are more likely to accurately | 
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| 44 | ;;   reflect the severity of the condition. | 
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| 45 | ;;TOF | 
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| 46 | ;;     DLCO note: | 
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| 47 | ;;     If the DLCO was not done as a routine part of pulmonary function testing, | 
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| 48 | ;;     the examiner should use his or her judgment, based on the specific | 
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| 49 | ;;     condition (e.g., whether it is obstructive, interstitial, etc.) and | 
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| 50 | ;;     other available information about the condition, as to whether a DLCO test | 
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| 51 | ;;     is needed, since it is not useful in all situations. If it may provide | 
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| 52 | ;;     useful information about the severity of the condition, it should be | 
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| 53 | ;;     requested and reviewed before the examination report is submitted. | 
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| 54 | ;;     If the examiner determines that the DLCO test is not needed, a statement | 
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| 55 | ;;     as to why not (e.g., there are decreased lung volumes that would not yield | 
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| 56 | ;;     valid test results) should be included in the report. Such a statement | 
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| 57 | ;;     could avoid a remand from BVA when the test is not done. However, | 
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| 58 | ;;     in the case of a BVA remand in which the DLCO is requested, the DLCO MUST | 
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| 59 | ;;     be done unless there is a medical contraindication. | 
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| 60 | ;; | 
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| 61 | ;;2. Chest X-ray (if no recent results available). | 
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| 62 | ;;3. Include results of all diagnostic and clinical tests conducted | 
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| 63 | ;;   in the examination report. | 
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| 64 | ;; | 
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| 65 | ;;E. Diagnosis: | 
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| 66 | ;; | 
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| 67 | ;; | 
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| 68 | ;;Signature:                             Date: | 
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| 69 | ;;END | 
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