In 2005, interpretative strategies for pulmonary function tests were issued jointly by the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and the European Respiratory Society (ERS), and they have since been updated in 2021. In this article, we introduced the updated key points, including reference equations and normal limits, natural changes in lung function over time, bronchodilator responsiveness testing, the classification of physiological impairments, and the severity of lung function impairment. We also put forward some suggestions from the viewpoint of our national conditions. We expected it to provide useful references for those concerned with the application of pulmonary function tests in China.
