A CALIBRATION PROGRAM FOR ROTOROD SAMPLERS

Background: Despite widespread use in the United States, the need for calibrating Rotorod Samplers on a regular basis has not been demonstra ted. Objective: The purpose of this present investigation was to inspe ct Rotorods that had been operating in the field to determine whether they conformed to the manufacturer's operating specifications. Methods : nAllergists who own Rotorods voluntarily returned their devices to t he manufacturer for calibration over the course of two successive wint ers. The speed of each device's motor was measured with a stroboscopic tachometer. Results: Of the 89 devices examined, ten were found to be operating at the manufacturer's exact speed specification (2400 RPM) and another 31 were within 5%. The remaining devices deviated by more than 5% from the prescribed speed or possessed motors that would not o perate. Conclusions: The authors underscore the importance of calibrat ing Rotorod Samplers to maintain data quality.