Table 1 Required equipment and maintenance rules
Exam | Equipment recommendations | Daily verification | Monthly verification | Annual verification | Procedure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weight | • Class III medical scale CE marked • Required precision: ± 0.1 kg • Amplitude: 2.0–150.0 kg minimum | • Spirit level verification • Zero displayed before use | NA | • Performed by an external certified body. | • Volunteer in underwear, motionless. • Measurement read by the nurse once stabilization obtained. |
Height | • Measuring rod • Graduation: 1 cm • Amplitude: 60–200 cm • 10 cm space between heels indicated by floor markings. | • 0 graduation at the ground level – 1 mm tolerance permitted | • Cross-checking with the tape measure | • Performed by an external certified body. | • Volunteer standing, arms at sides, inside heels 10 cm apart, head upright, looking straight, deep breath in. Measurement read by the nurse, with slider at eye-level. |
Waist-hips-abdominal circumference | • Tape measure with 2 sides of different colors. • Graduation: 1 cm • Amplitude: 0–150 cm | • Signs of wear | • Cross-checking with the measuring rod | • Renew every year | • Volunteer in underwear, standing with feet shoulder-width apart, arms slightly apart, motionless. • Palpation of anatomical landmarks for right positioning (Waist: mid-axillary line; Hips: widest level over the greater trochanters) • Ensure horizontality of the tape measure with no twists. • Tape measure snug but not digging into the skin. • Measurement read by the nurse on the exhale. |
Arterial pressure | • Tensiometers provided by The “Constances” research team: OMRON 705. • Accuracy of measurement: ±3 mmHg • Amplitude: 0–300 mmHg | • Search for anomalies of the entire pneumatic circuit | NA | • Centralized and organized by the Constances research team | • Point of reference on the blood pressure cuff according to the arm circumference. • Volunteer in supine position. • First reading after a 5-minute rest, second reading on the contralateral arm, third reading after a 1-minute pause on the arm with the highest systolic blood pressure. • Orthostatic hypotension measured after standing for 1 min |
ECG | • 12 standard ECG leads • Screen display and software program that ensures the overall management • Recording features: speed (25 mm per second), amplitude (10 mm by mV), leads and filters. • Examination table with a minimum width of 65 cm to avoid muscular contractions or arms falling off table. | • Signs of wear. • Calibration signal at the beginning of each trace. | NA | • Performed by an external certified body. | • Volunteer in supine position, calm, arms at sides. • Thorough skin preparation (remove grease) • Ensure a good electrode-to-patient contact. • Palpation of anatomical landmarks for proper placement of the electrodes |
Far visual acuity | • Monoyer scale • Floor marking to indicate the required reading distance of 3 or 5 m • Unit: 1/10 • Required precision: ± 1/10 • Amplitude: 0/10–10/10 | • Signs of wear, dirt | • Signs of wear | NA | • Volunteer standing or seated • For monocular visual acuity: cover placed on one eye with no pressure |
Near visual acuity | • Parinaud scale • Unit: Parinaud • Amplitude: 1.5–20 • Specific device provided by Constances to standardize the scale-brow distance (33 cm). | • Signs of wear, dirt | • Signs of wear | NA | • Volunteer seated • Specific device in contact with the volunteer’s brow • For monocular visual acuity: cover placed on one eye with no pressure |
Audition | • Required precision: ± 3 dB from 500 to 4,000Hz and ± 5 dB beyond • Amplitude: −10 to 85 dB by 5 dB steps minimum • Test hearing by air conduction using a pulsed tone at various frequencies (from −10 to 85 dB – change by 5 dB steps). | • Control test of each frequency at 60 dB both sides | NA | • Performed by an external certified body | • Response mode: hand raised / response button pressed, held as long as tone is heard • Volunteer unable to see the operator • Headphones placed by the operator • Start by a demonstration • Otoscopy (to detect excessive earwax) |
Spirometry | • As per requested by ATS/ERS task force • Unit: L • Required precision: 0.035 L • Amplitude: 0–8 L | • Performed in accordance with the ATS/ERS guidelines | NA | • Performed by an external certified body in accordance with the ATS/ERS guidelines | • Performed in accordance with the ATS/ERS guidelines |