Table 1 Criteria for assessing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease according to various organisations, listed by year

Organisation	Year/Ref	Criterion
ECCS	19833	FEV₁/VC or FEV₁/FVC <LLN
ATS	19878	FEV₁/FVC <0.75
ATS	19914	FEV₁/FVC <LLN
ECCS/ERS	19935	FEV₁/VC or FEV₁/FVC <LLN
ERS	19957	FEV₁/VC <88% predicted (males) or 89% (females)
BTS	19979	FEV₁/FVC <0.70 and FEV₁<80% predicted
NLHEP	200012	FEV₁/FVC or FEV₁/FEV₆<LLN and FEV₁<LLN
GOLD	20071	FEV₁/FVC <0.70 post-bronchodilator
NICE	200410	FEV₁/FVC <0.70 and FEV₁<80% predicted
ATS/ERS	200411	FEV₁/FVC <0.70 post-bronchodilator
ATS/ERS	200513	FEV₁/VC <LLN

ATS, American Thoracic Society; BTS, British Thoracic Society; ECCS, European Community for Coal and Steel; ERS, European Respiratory Society; FEV₁/FVC, forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity; GOLD, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; LLN, lower limit of normal; NICE, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence; NLHEP, National Lung Health Education Program; VC, vital capacity.