We recommend:
• Studies in patients with COPD undergoing lung resection that compare outcomes among patients who had their postoperative lung function predicted quantitatively with those among patients who had their postoperative lung function predicted qualitatively. Such studies should perform the comparison using different combinations of preoperative FEV1 and DLCO in the quantitative arm(s).
• Studies in patients with COPD undergoing lung resection comparing outcomes among patients whose risk for perioperative complications was determined via predicted postoperative lung function measurements with those among patients whose risk was determined via exercise testing.