What is a common finding in spirometry results for a patient with asthma?

In patients with asthma, a common finding in spirometry results is reduced flow rates. This is primarily due to the presence of airway inflammation and bronchoconstriction that can occur during an asthma exacerbation. In the context of asthma, the airways become narrowed, leading to difficulty in exhaling and a reduction in the peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) as well as forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1).

The reduction in flow rates signifies that the patient may have obstructive lung disease, which is characteristic of asthma. When performing a bronchodilator test, one might expect to observe an increase in FEV1, highlighting the reversible component of airway obstruction in asthma. However, the baseline finding of reduced flow rates is a key indicator of the disease process at play.

While normal lung volumes and increased compliance may appear in other respiratory conditions, they are not typically associated with asthma, especially during an acute episode. Increased compliance can indicate the lung is over-distended, which is not typical for asthma. Thus, the identification of reduced flow rates aligns closely with the understanding of asthma's impact on lung function.