Chronic bronchitis among French adults: high prevalence and underdiagnosis

• Published in: The European respiratory journal Vol. 20; no. 4; pp. 806 - 812
• Main Authors: Huchon, G.J, Vergnenegre, A, Neukirch, F, Brami, G, Roche, N, Preux, P-M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Leeds Eur Respiratory Soc 01.10.2002; Maney
• Subjects: Adult; Age Distribution; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchitis, Chronic - diagnosis; Bronchitis, Chronic - epidemiology; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma; Confidence Intervals; Female; France - epidemiology; Health Surveys; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pneumology; Prevalence; Probability; Respiratory Function Tests; Risk Factors; Severity of Illness Index; Sex Distribution; Smoking - adverse effects; Surveys and Questionnaires; Survival Rate; France; Human; Lung disease; Prevalence; Respiratory disease; Epidemiology; Concomitant disease; Chronic; French; Risk factor; Bronchus disease; Adult; Bronchitis; Obstructive pulmonary disease; Diagnosis; Public health
• ISSN: 0903-1936; 1399-3003
• DOI: 10.1183/09031936.02.00042002

The aims of this survey were to determine the prevalence of symptoms indicative of chronic bronchitis (CB) in the French adult population, to identify the role of risk factors for CB, and to assess rates of CB diagnosis and pulmonary function testing (PFT) in the presence of CB. A representative sample of 14,076 individuals aged > or = 25 yrs completed a self-administered questionnaire on symptoms, comorbidities, smoking history, sociodemographical data, and diagnosis and care by physicians. The prevalence of CB was 4.1% and the prevalence of chronic cough and/or expectoration was 11.7%. In individuals with comorbidity, these figures were 10.4% and 24.4%, respectively. Smoking was associated with an increased frequency of CB. In subjects with CB, 44.6% had PFT (spirometry or peak expiratory flow measurement), 24% were diagnosed as having CB, and 7.2% received care. Rates of diagnosis, PFT, and follow-up were lower in young individuals and in those without comorbidity. PFT and follow-up were less common in current smokers. Prevalence of chronic bronchitis in French adults is high and similar in magnitude to that of other industrialised countries. Comorbidities and tobacco smoking increase the frequency of chronic bronchitis symptoms. Chronic bronchitis is too infrequently diagnosed, investigated and cared for.