“I have chronic asthma, and I use two inhalers to manage my asthma. How much will the VA rate me for my asthma?”
This is a common enough question. The VA’s rating schedule has been well-equipped to address all possible disorders of the nose and throat. There are so many kinds of respiratory conditions, however, and the severity can vary so greatly, that the VA most often uses pulmonary function tests (PFTs) as a basis for its rating criteria.
Here’s what former military service members should know about pulmonary function tests and VA disability benefits for respiratory disorders.
Types of Respiratory Disorders
Pulmonary function disorders are grouped into two main categories: obstructive and restrictive. Routine spirometry testing measures two basic components: (1) air flow and (2) volume of air out of the lungs. Putting it simply, if the air flow is impeded, the defect is obstructive. If the volume of air is reduced, the defect is restrictive. Most respiratory disorders are grouped under one of these two categories. However, there several respiratory disorders do not fall under either of these categories, such as:
- Tuberculosis
- Pulmonary vascular disease
- Bacterial infections of the lungs
- Mycotic lung diseases (fungal)
Obstructive Disorders
Obstructive disorders make it difficult to exhale all the air in the lungs. Damage to the lungs, or narrowing of the airways (bronchii) inside the lungs, cause air to be exhaled more slowly than normal. This is due to reduced elasticity of the lung airways, or some kind of obstruction (like mucus or inflammation). Obstructive lung diseases make it more difficult to breath, especially with increased activity of exertion. As the rate of breathing increases, there is less time to breathe out all the air before the next inhalation.
Common obstructive disorders include:
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), including emphysema and chronic bronchitis
- Asthma
- Bronchiectasis
- Cystic Fibrosis
Restrictive Disorders
Restrictive disorders make it difficult to fill lungs with air. This type of lung condition is a result of the lungs being restricted from fully expanding. Usually restrictive diseases occur when there is stiffness in the lungs themselves. Sometimes this can occur when there is stiffness in the chest wall, weak muscles or damaged nerves that restrict the expansion of the lungs. In some cases (interstitial lung diseases), autoimmune or rheumatologic diseases can cause progressive scarring of the lung tissue that lies in between and supports air sacs. Scarring causes stiffness in the lungs.
Common restrictive disorders include:
- Interstitial lung disease (such as pneumonia)
- Sarcoidosis
- Obesity
- Neuromuscular diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Asbestosis
- Pulmonaryfibrosis
- Sleep Apnea
VA Disability Pulmonary Function Tests
A pulmonary function test (PFT) measures how much air can be inhaled and exhaled, and how much carbon monoxide can enter the bloodstream within a certain period of time. PFTs are non-invasive.
A veterans doctor typically performs a pulmonary function test when initially diagnosing the condition, and then periodically afterwards to gauge the severity of the condition. PFTs can determine whether an obstructive or restrictive disease is present, and also determine the location of a defect.
A pulmonary function test measures three aspects of lung function:
- Spirometry
- Lung volumes
- Diffusion capacity of the lung
These measurements show how effectively you’re able to breathe and how well your lungs are able to deliver oxygen throughout the body.
What Can I Expect from Pulmonary Function Tests?
Your doctor will provide specific instructions to prepare for your pulmonary function test. This will likely include avoiding alcohol, smoking, caffeine, and heavy exercise within the hours leading up to the test. You should also have a light meal and limit fluid intake. Be sure to wear loose clothes so you can breathe comfortably.
Once you arrive at your appointment, your healthcare provider will talk you through the steps of the test.
How Spirometry Tests Work
The most common form of pulmonary function tests is spirometry. Spirometry is the easiest, fastest, and most readily available method of function testing in outpatient clinics. The VA rating system depends mostly on spirometry results when evaluating a respiratory disorder.
A spirometer is a hand-held device into which the individual breathes. Usually a clip is placed on the nose to prevent any air from entering the nasal passages. The patient takes a deep breath, and then exhales as hard as he/she can for at least 6 seconds (10 seconds being ideal). A small machine records the strength of the exhalation.
Because the validity of the test depends on the participation of the patient, the test is repeated two to three times in order to obtain accurate results.
A spirometer has two main functions:
- It measures the forced vital capacity (FVC), which is the amount of air that can be forcibly blown out after deep inhalation.
- It also measures the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), which is the amount of air that is forcibly blown out in the first second of the exhale. When expressed as a percentage of the “normal” averages, the FEV1 determines the degree of obstruction (if any) of the air through the lungs – mild, moderate or severe.
How correct breathing affects the test
The participation of the patient is incredibly important for spirometer testing. It is a natural reaction to be hesitant about taking as deep a breath as possible or exhaling as hard as possible when taking the test. The assumption can be that the weaker the breath, the more accurate the test will be. However, this is not the case.
If the patient does not inhale deeply enough, the FVC and FEV1 will be underestimated, and the test results may mimic a restrictive disorder (such as pleural effusion or fibrosis). If the patient does not exhale hard enough, the FEV1 may be underestimated, and the result may mimic airways obstruction (such as a false positive for COPD or asthma).
In order to ensure that spirometry test results are interpreted in an accurate diagnosis, it is imperative that the patient inhale has deeply as possible, and then exhale as hard as possible for at least six seconds.
What Should I Be Looking for in My PFT Results?
Once you have completed pulmonary function testing, your results should be available to review. However, they will be difficult for you to understand without a medical professional to interpret them for you.
Spirometry results commonly look like the example below:
VA Disability Ratings for Respiratory Disorders
Once the VA determines service connection for the respiratory disorder, they will provide a rating based on the corresponding diagnostic code.
The VA rating schedule for respiratory disorders chiefly utilizes the numbers circled in the above example of a spirometry test. The last three columns in the image above are the ones that we are concerned with.
Let’s break this down. And to make it easier, let’s call the patient “Bill.”
Useful Definitions
PRED = the predicted value. This is the anticipated test result that a normal person (with no respiratory dysfunction) would have.
BEST = the most accurate reading of the spirometry test. Usually the patient will take the spirometry test three times in order to obtain the most accurate representation of his/her condition.
% PRED = a percentage representation of Bill’s test results relative to those of “normal” individuals with his ethnicity, height and build. For example, 85 % PRED would mean that Bill breathes 85% “normally.”
VA Ratings Schedule Example
The VA uses 38 CFR § 4.97 – Schedule of Ratings – Respiratory System to rate pulmonary conditions. This includes impairments of the lungs, bronchi, trachea, larynx, and more.
Below is the rating schedule for Bronchial Asthma.
| 6602 Asthma, bronchial: | |
| FEV-1 less than 40-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC less than 40 percent, or; more than one attack per week with episodes of respiratory failure, or; requires daily use of systemic (oral or parenteral) high dose corticosteroids or immuno-suppressive medications | 100 |
| FEV-1 of 40- to 55-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 40 to 55 percent, or; at least monthly visits to a physician for required care of exacerbations, or; intermittent (at least three per year) courses of systemic (oral or parenteral) corticosteroids | 60 |
| FEV-1 of 56- to 70-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 56 to 70 percent, or; daily inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy, or; inhalational anti-inflammatory medication | 30 |
| FEV-1 of 71- to 80-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 71 to 80 percent, or; intermittent inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy | 10 |
Let us break down the 10% rating:
| What It Says | What You Need to Look At | |
| FEV-1 of 40- to 55-percent predicted | Line 2, Column 5 | |
| or | FEV-1/FVC of 40 to 55 percent | Line 3, Column 4 |
| or | Intermittent inhalation or oral bronchodilator therapy. |
In Example 1, Line 2/Column 5 says “105”. To get a 10% rating, this number would have to be between 40 and 55. Likewise, Line 3/Column 4 says “85”. To get a 10% rating, this number would have to be between 40 and 55. Therefore, according to the first two criteria, Bill would not qualify for a 10% rating. However, if he is being prescribed a bronchodilator inhaler and uses it every now and then, Bill would meet the last criteria for the 10% rating.
My breathing test results were normal, but I still have asthma. How is this possible?
Sometimes, spirometry test results create the appearance of a normal respiratory system. In the example case described above, Bill’s high spirometry test results indicate that he can breathe perfectly well. However, Bill suffers from asthma, needing an inhaler to manage periodic asthma attacks and shortness of breath. So how is this possible?
Asthma is considered a reversible obstructive defect. This means that the use of a bronchodilator (such as albuterol) can usually open up the airways and make it easier to breathe. Most people with asthma can breathe fairly well unless they are having an active asthma attack. Consequently, a spirometry test is more likely to be taken during a period of normal breathing, and will most not reflect a patient’s breathing pattern when having an asthma attack. Therefore, when a diagnosis of asthma is suspected, the patient will be asked to participate in other tests that can more accurately pinpoint the problem.
What happens if my pulmonary function tests are outdated?
Some doctors may not require regular or extensive pulmonary function tests. This can be a problem in terms of VA claims, since most of the rating schedules for respiratory disorders depend heavily on pulmonary function testing. An outdated test will likely not be an accurate representation of the respiratory condition. A similar problem exists in cases in which spirometry results indicate little or no respiratory dysfunction. More advanced methods of pulmonary function testing, such as the measurement of lung volumes and diffusion capacity, may not be readily accessible in outpatient clinics and therefore not available the VA examiner’s review.
However, in the event that pulmonary function testing is not available or reflective the veteran’s actual condition, the VA offers another point of reference in the rating criteria—the use of medications for management of the condition. Specifically, the rating criteria identify the use of corticosteroids (inhaled or oral), as in asthma cases, or the use of oxygen therapy, antibiotics, and immunosuppressives as reference points for the severity of the condition. For example, if a veteran with asthma requires daily use of a bronchodilator inhaler to manage his asthma, he would be entitled to a 30% rating.
Whichever the case may be, the VA tries its best to cover every possible situation by the thoroughness of its Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) for respiratory disorders. On examination of the patient, VA examiners are requested to indicate whether or not pulmonary function testing was performed, and if the testing accurately reflected the actual state of the veteran’s respiratory condition. The DBQ also devotes a section for use of medications, bronchodilators, corticosteroids, antibiotics, and oxygen therapy that the veteran may be prescribed for the management of the respiratory disorder. This questionnaire can also be completed by the veteran’s treating physician, as additional evidence in support of the veteran’s claim in the event that the C&P examiner was not sufficiently thorough or accurate.
Have Questions About VA Disability Ratings for Pulmonary Conditions?
Navigating the United States Department of Veterans Affairs’ claims process can be challenging. If the VA denied your claim for disability compensation or awarded a lower disability rating than expected, the team at Hill & Ponton is here to support you. Contact our veterans disability attorneys for a free case evaluation.
Veterans can find the VA’s research on respiratory health at VA.gov.
