Hi doctor, I have a question regarding the difference between COPD and asthma. My spirometry results: Pre-bronchodilator: FEV1: 83% of expected FVC: 101% FEV1/FVC: 67% Post-bronchodilator: FEV1: 88% FVC: 105% FEV1/FVC: 69% FEV1 increase due to bronchodilator: 250ml, which equals circa +6%. Is it fair to say these results are more indicative of mild COPD than of asthma? I had not noticed any symptoms. The obstruction was only revealed during a routine full medical check-up at work (regular desk job), which included a spirometry test (the first I ever had). Facts that may be relevant: * I never smoked. * I had airway issues as an infant (2-3 years old). I had recurring bronchitis and pneumonia once, was hospitalized on one occasion. I was never diagnosed with asthma. * A mild dust mite allergy was diagnosed through a prick test when I was in my teens. A recent blood test showed no indication for any particular allergy: IgE: 23.3 CAP Trees (tx6): 0.15 CAP Grass (gx3): 0.15 CAP Herbs (wx5): 0.15 CAP animals (exl): 0.15 CAP Fungus (mxl): 0.15 CAP Dust Mite: 0.15 * My father was diagnosed with asthma as a child. It went away as he grew up. * Have had a fire in my kitchen about a year ago. A lot of smoke production, everything was covered in sooth afterwards. I stayed in the apartment for 2 weeks after the fire, in a room that was seemingly unaffected by smoke or soot (with the window open), but still made use of the other parts of the apartment. After 2 weeks, a professional cleaning company came, but soot remained on a wall of CD racks, which I had asked them not to touch as they handled my belongings very roughly. I forgot about it afterwards and the CDs stayed like that. I slept in that room for the next 12 months. Taking all this information into account, I am now worried I may not have asthma but COPD. I am particularly worried about the exposure to soot, combined with the low reversibility (6%) after inhalation of a bronchodilator. Many thanks for your advice. I am happy to provide more details if needed, including other items from the test results, if useful. Thanks for your time and advice. **************** Additional spirometry results: * BD used to assess reversibility was Salbutamol (400 micro grams). * Total Lung Capacity: 7.98 liters (97%) * Residual volume: 2.07 liters (102%) * Airway Resistance (RAW): 120% * Diffusion capacity (DLCO): 100% (after correction for measured alveolar volume KCO: 104%). More results from blood test: * Sedimentation after 1 hour: 3 * RBC: 5 * Hemoglobin: 15.4 * Hematocrit: 46 * Mcv: 91 * MCH: 31 * MCHC: 34 * WBC: 8.2 * Thrombocytes: 242 * Immature granulocytes: 0.4 * Segments: 61.7 * Eosinophils: 0.2 * Basophils: 0.4 * Lymphocytes: 30.8 * Monocytes: 6.5 * Segments abs.: 5.05 * Eosinophils abs.: 0.02 * Basophils abs.: 0.03 * Lymphocytes abs.: 2.52 * Monocytes abs.: 0.53