Question

Which clinical finding would be most closely associated with a client who has interstitial lung disease in comparison to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?

1) Audible wheezing on expiration
2) Reduced expiratory flow rates
3) Decreased tidal volume
4) Normal forced expiratory volume

Answer 1

Decreased tidal volume is the clinical finding most closely associated with interstitial lung disease, distinguishing it from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is characterized by increased lung compliance and airway obstruction.

Step-by-step explanation:

The clinical finding most closely associated with a client who has interstitial lung disease (ILD) in comparison to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a decreased tidal volume. Unlike COPD, where obstructive lung disease leads to an increase in lung compliance due to the destruction of alveolar walls and decreased elastic recoil, ILD causes the lung tissues to become stiff or fibrotic, thereby reducing compliance and limiting the lungs' ability to expand. Consequently, ILD is characterized by reduced functional vital capacity (FVC), which manifests as decreased tidal volume.