Monitoring Asthma:
A PC Card Spirometer

A year ago I wrote an article describing how I used an NEC MobilePro 750c Handheld PC in the 7th grade to stay organized, do Internet research for homework assignments, and play some games in my spare time (see Sep/Oct 98 ). Well, I'm in the 2nd half of 9th grade now and I now use a MobilePro 770 to make school easier and my life more fun. But I've discovered another use for it health. You see, I have asthma and I've just discovered the coolest device for my H/PC. It's called "SpiroCard."

A portable PC Card "spirometer"

A spirometer is a device used to assess a person's ability to breathe. The Spirometer performs a Pulmonary Function Test (PFT). This is used to measure the airflow rate and the volume of air a patient has with their lungs. A graphic representation of these measurements is called a "spirogram." These tests are used with people with respiratory problems to monitor the condition of the lungs.

A spirometer can be helpful in many ways. It can identify a small airway disease, assist in convincing patients to quit smoking, identify pulmonary disease symptoms and the degree of disability, and assist in the management of patients with lung disease.

SpiroCard is the first PC Card spirometer. It slips into the PC Card slot of an H/PC (or notebook PC) and turns the device into a portable spirometer.

Installing and using SpiroCard

The SpiroCard comes with user-installable software. Put the floppy disk in your desktop PC and run the install program. The next time you connect and synchronize your H/PC with your desktop PC, a program called Pocket Medic is installed on the H/PC (PC version also available). After that, you place the Spirometer card into the PC card slot and attach the tiny air hose and the mouthpiece to the card. You're ready to go.

Run Pocket Medic on your H/PC and start up a new patient profile. Enter in all the information they ask for about you. While I did this, I noticed it also asked for my account # and ID #. This is probably used to identify a patient as the card was designed for use by healthcare professionals.

After doing all this, a new window appeared that showed all the tests that I could perform with tabs leading to Session comments, Calibration Check, and Session Demographics. The different tests you can perform are as follows:

A Pre FVC (forced vital capacity) which measures the volume and the airflow a patient can exhale once the lungs are filled with the maximum amount of air.

A Pre MVV (maximum voluntary ventilation) where Pocket Medic takes the maximum volume of air a patient can exhale in a 12-second period.

A Pre SVC (slow vital capacity) where the volume of air that a patient can slowly exhale after filling their lungs with the most air they can. After these three there are the post tests that have the same name, allowing you to see the progress a patient has made over a certain period.

When you select any of these tests, another window opens up and you must enter the identifying number of the mouthpiece you use as well as the physician/tech administrating the test and the room temperature. After hitting "OK," you are presented with two circles, one white, and one black, and they alternate colors. This just shows that the Spirometer is measuring the air pressure in the air tube and outside in the room so you will have more accurate results. Once the system has determined the pressure inside and out, you begin the procedure according to the test taken. There then is a chart showing how well you preformed. You may do the Standard test (see Screen 1) where only one reading is taken, or the "ATS" test where three tests are taken and averaged to meet the ATS guidelines of calibration. It seems more accurate to do the ATS test to judge the condition of your lungs.

SpiroCard does not replace your physician

After completing these tests, you have the option to print the results out so you can send them to a doctor. This is an important point. The SpiroCard may save you a little money taking tests, but you still need a doctor to read most of them. I can only make sense of one of the tests. In fact, the SpiroCard manual assumes that the card is being used by a healthcare professional.

The QRS SpiroCard turns an H/PC into a portable spirometer that can assess a person's ability to breathe.

Screen 1: After calibrating the SpiroCard and selecting the desired test, tap the Begin button and breath into the mouthpiece.

The suggested retail price for the SpiroCard is $695. It works with H/PCs, H/PC Pros, and notebook PCs running the Windows 95/98 OS if they have a PC Card slot. For more information, contact QRS; Phone: 800-465-8408; E-mail: sales@ qrssys.com ; Web: www.qrssys.com .

Kirk Cowgill completed the 9th grade at Peterson Middle School with the aid of his new NEC MobilePro 770 and is now a 9th grade student. During much of his time he enjoys various computer games like StarCraft and Need for Speed 4. He plays piano, clarinet, and oboe and loves Classical music.

Monitoring Asthma: A PC Card Spirometer

A portable PC Card "spirometer"

Installing and using SpiroCard

SpiroCard does not replace your physician

Monitoring Asthma:
A PC Card Spirometer