Guideline of the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences for assessing respiratory impairment

The presently used impairment rating guidelines in Korea do not accurately reflect the injury in various lung diseases. Therefore, they need to be made more objective and quantitative with new measurements, using indicators to more precisely represent impairment in the major respiratory diseases. We develop a respiratory impairment rating guideline to ensure that the same grade or impairment rating would be obtained regardless of surgeons who determinate it. Specialists in respiratory medicine and thoracic surgeons determined the impairment grades. Moreover, the impairment should be irreversible for more than 6 months. The impairment rating depends on the level of forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume 1 second, diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide, arterial oxygen pressure, and arterial carbon dioxide pressure. The degree of whole body impairment is defined by each grade: first 81-95%, second 66-80%, third 51-65%, fourth 36-50%, and fifth 21-35%. In conclusion, we develop a respiratory impairment rating guideline for Koreans. Any qualified specialist can easily use it and judge objective scoring.