In COPDGene phase 1, a multicenter, 10,000-patient study to identify genetic, epidemiological and radiological characteristics of COPD, ndd Medical’s EasyOne Plus was used for all spirometry testing.  COPDGene phase 2 added the key test, DLCO, to measure aspects of the lung membrane and the ability of the lungs to oxygenate the blood.

Among the goals of the COPDGene study, initially funded with a $37 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, is the understanding of genetic information that contributes or is associated with a person’s risk for developing COPD, potentially leading to new therapeutic approaches to control the disease and improve quality of life for COPD patients.

Investigators raised additional funds to purchase the EasyOne Pro at all 21 study centers.  The decision was made in part because of the “extraordinary stability” of its ultrasound measurement of volumes and flows, but also for its imperviousness to temperature, barometric pressure, altitude and other factors that can result in faulty measurements of DLCO and spirometry.