Constrictive Bronchilitus Diagnosis but no matching VA Rating

[arp166]

Hello all,

I have been diagnosed recently with Constrictive Bronchiolitus after a lot of tests and two different diagnosis of Asthma. I have been looking throughout this website and the VA sites looking for some guidance on VA ratings. I have not found anything. I am not sure what to use for the VA Rating? Will the VA match the closest thing based on diagnosis or based on treatment? The disease that most closely matches might be 6825 Diffuse interstitial fibrosis (interstitial pneumonitis, fibrosing alveolitis).

The treatment for Constrictive Bronchiolitus is daily high-dose steroids. So does the VA match the asthma rating for daily steroids of 100% or the General Rating Formula for Interstitial Lung Disease (diagnostic codes 6825 through 6833):

Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) less than 50-percent predicted,
or; Diffusion Capacity of the Lung for Carbon Monoxide by the
Single Breath Method (DLCO (SB)) less than 40-percent predicted,
or; maximum exercise capacity less than 15 ml/kg/min oxygen
consumption with cardiorespiratory limitation, or; cor pulmonale
or pulmonary hypertension, or; requires outpatient oxygen therapy ....................................................................................................... 100
FVC of 50- to 64-percent predicted, or; DLCO (SB) of 40- to
55-percent predicted, or; maximum exercise capacity of 15 to
20 ml/kg/min oxygen consumption with cardiorespiratory
limitation ...................................................................................................... 60
FVC of 65- to 74-percent predicted, or; DLCO (SB) of 56- to
65-percent predicted..................................................................................... 30
FVC of 75- to 80-percent predicted, or; DLCO (SB) of 66- to
80-percent predicted..................................................................................... 10

Thanks for any insight!

 

[PsychOfficer]

Hello all,

I have been diagnosed recently with Constrictive Bronchiolitus after a lot of tests and two different diagnosis of Asthma. I have been looking throughout this website and the VA sites looking for some guidance on VA ratings. I have not found anything. I am not sure what to use for the VA Rating? Will the VA match the closest thing based on diagnosis or based on treatment? The disease that most closely matches might be 6825 Diffuse interstitial fibrosis (interstitial pneumonitis, fibrosing alveolitis).

The treatment for Constrictive Bronchiolitus is daily high-dose steroids. So does the VA match the asthma rating for daily steroids of 100% or the General Rating Formula for Interstitial Lung Disease (diagnostic codes 6825 through 6833):

Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) less than 50-percent predicted,
or; Diffusion Capacity of the Lung for Carbon Monoxide by the
Single Breath Method (DLCO (SB)) less than 40-percent predicted,
or; maximum exercise capacity less than 15 ml/kg/min oxygen
consumption with cardiorespiratory limitation, or; cor pulmonale
or pulmonary hypertension, or; requires outpatient oxygen therapy ....................................................................................................... 100
FVC of 50- to 64-percent predicted, or; DLCO (SB) of 40- to
55-percent predicted, or; maximum exercise capacity of 15 to
20 ml/kg/min oxygen consumption with cardiorespiratory
limitation ...................................................................................................... 60
FVC of 65- to 74-percent predicted, or; DLCO (SB) of 56- to
65-percent predicted..................................................................................... 30
FVC of 75- to 80-percent predicted, or; DLCO (SB) of 66- to
80-percent predicted..................................................................................... 10

Thanks for any insight!

Yes - they will match up with the closest respiratory diagnosis. Be advised that the "high-dose" is never clearly defined, and only includes oral (not inhaled) or injected steroids. Sorry about the diagnosis, from a fellow breathing-impaired soldier. Best of luck.

 

[arp166]

Yes - they will match up with the closest respiratory diagnosis. Be advised that the "high-dose" is never clearly defined, and only includes oral (not inhaled) or injected steroids. Sorry about the diagnosis, from a fellow breathing-impaired soldier. Best of luck.

@PsychOfficer
Appreciate the response. I am still waiting to hear what my treatment plan will be, but it will most likely include daily prednisone(oral), Breo(1 puff per day), symbicort(4 puffs per day), albuterol (as needed), singulair, and Pepcid. The treatment plans on all the government studies just states high-dose steroids so I am guessing that will count. We will see how this all plays out.