Duke's specialists offer tests for asthma and a wide range of allergic or lung diseases to help determine the causes underlying symptoms.

Pulmonary Function Testing

Asthma is a chronic lung condition that affects close to 20 million Americans. Coughing, wheezing, and chest tightness are all symptoms of asthma and may be present at any age, but are more common in young and middle-aged adults. Elderly persons can be breathless, but have little cough or wheeze.

To ensure proper diagnosis of asthma and other pulmonary diseases, physicians at Duke offer the following tests:

• Spirometry with flow-volume loop

• Spirometry pre- and post-bronchodilator
• Maximum voluntary ventilation
• Sighing (slow) vital capacity
• Body plethysmography
• Lung volume by nitrogen washout
• Diffusion capacity
• Methacholine challenge
• Exercise challenge spirometry
• Exercise challenge with laryngoscopy
• Chest radiography
• Negative inspiratory force
• Exhaled nitric oxide (FENO)

In addition, special procedures are available for infants and young children. They include:

• Crying vital capacity
• End tidal carbon dioxide
• Impulse oscillometry

Allergy Testing and Treatment

Allergies triggered by particles in the air or by certain foods and drugs can cause nasal congestion, sneezing, watery eyes, and more serious symptoms such as nasal polyps, sleep disturbances, asthma attacks, and repeated sinus infections.

Duke allergists have tools to determine what substances cause your allergies and which of these substances could set off an asthma attack. Allergy evaluation procedures include:

• Skin testing for inhalants, pollens, molds, and foods
• In vitro testing for IgE to foods and other allergens
• Drug allergy evaluation

Depending on the test results, Duke physicians may prescribe allergen immunotherapy regimens designed to decrease the severity of symptoms in the face of known allergy triggers.

Physicians

Physicians offering this service include:

• Chiang, Ambrose A.
• Cicale, Michael J.
• Huang, Yuh-Chin Tony
• Kraft, Monica
• Lee, Laurie A.
• Lugar, Patricia L.
• Michelson, Peter H.
• Murphy, Thomas M.
• Powers, Mark A.
• Roberts, Joseph L.
• Sundy, John S.
• Williams, Larry W.

Locations

This service is available at:

• Duke Asthma, Allergy and Airway Center
  4309 Medical Park Drive, Suite 100, Durham, NC 27704