| 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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