Pattern recognition system for quantifying the likelihood of the contribution of multiple possible forms of chronic disease to patient reported dyspnea

A method for characterizing contributions of physiological conditions to dyspnea in a patient comprising:

• receiving results of a spirometry test on the patient, wherein the spirometry test includes a flow-volume loop;
• obtaining a plurality of spirometric measurements, including at least one of forced vital capacity (FVC), inspiratory capacity (IC), and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1);
• performing, using a cardiopulmonary exercise gas exchange analyzer, a gas exchange test on the patient, wherein the gas exchange test includes a rest phase, an exercise phase, and a recovery period, wherein the patient performs exercise during the exercise phase;
• obtaining a plurality of gas exchange measurements, including end tidal CO2, on a breath-by-breath basis during the gas exchange test;
• determining a first contribution value associated with a first physiological condition, wherein the first contribution value is based on at least one of the plurality of spirometric measurements and at least one of the plurality of gas exchange measurements;
• determining a second contribution value associated with a second physiological condition, wherein the second contribution value is based on at least one of the plurality of gas exchange measurements;
• and
• displaying the first contribution value and the second contribution value.

A method for characterizing contributions of physiological conditions to dyspnea in a patient comprising:

• performing a spirometry test on the patient using a flow sensor of a cardiopulmonary exercise gas exchange analyzer, wherein the spirometry test includes a flow-volume loop;
• obtaining a plurality of spirometric measurements, including force vital capacity (FVC), inspiratory capacity (IC), and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1);
• performing, using the cardiopulmonary exercise gas exchange analyzer, a gas exchange test on the patient, wherein the gas exchange test includes a rest phase, an exercise phase, and a recovery period, wherein the patient performs exercise during the exercise phase;
• obtaining a plurality of gas exchange measurements, including end tidal CO2, on a breath-by-breath basis during the gas exchange test;
• determining a first contribution value associated with a first physiological condition, wherein the first contribution value is based on at least one of the associated with a first weighted combination of at least one of the plurality of spirometric measurements and at least one of the plurality of gas exchange measurements;
• determining a second contribution value associated with a second physiological condition, wherein the second contribution value is associated with a second weighted combination of one or more of the plurality of spirometric measurements and at least one or more of the plurality of gas exchange measurements;
• retrieving historical test data relating to a previous gas exchange test on the patient;
• generating a user interface that includes a first visual indicator, a second visual indicator, a third visual indicator, and a fourth visual indicator, wherein a property of the first visual indicator is determined based on the first contribution value, a property of the second visual indicator is determined based on the second contribution value, a property of the third visual indicator is determined based on a first historical contribution value associated with the first physiological condition and being based on the historical test data, and a property of the fourth visual indicator is determined based on a second historical contribution value associated with the second physiological condition and being based on the historical test data.