Early detection of COPD in general practice

• Published in: International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Vol. 6; no. default; pp. 123 - 127
• Main Author: Ulrik, Charlotte
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press 01.01.2011
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Body Mass Index; Denmark - epidemiology; Early Diagnosis; Feasibility Studies; Female; Forced Expiratory Volume; General Practice; Humans; Lung - physiopathology; Male; Mass Screening - methods; Middle Aged; Original Research; Predictive Value of Tests; Prevalence; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - diagnosis; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - epidemiology; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - physiopathology; Smoking - epidemiology; Spirometry; Vital Capacity; Denmark; airway obstruction; screening; spirometry; general practice; COPD
• ISSN: 1178-2005; 1176-9106; 1178-2005
• DOI: 10.2147/COPD.S16929

Early detection enables the possibility for interventions to reduce the future burden of COPD. The Danish National Board of Health recommends that individuals >35 years with tobacco/occupational exposure, and at least 1 respiratory symptom should be offered a spirometry to facilitate early detection of COPD. The aim, therefore, was to provide evidence for the feasibility and impact of doing spirometry in this target population. Participating general practitioners (GPs) (n = 335; 10% of the Danish GPs) recruited consecutively, subjects with >35 years exposure, no previous diagnosis of obstructive lung disease, and at least 1 of the following symptoms: cough, dyspnea, wheezing, sputum, or recurrent respiratory infection. Data on age, smoking status, pack-years, body mass index (BMI), dyspnea score (Medical Research Council, MRC), and pre-bronchodilator spirometry (FEV(1), FEV(1)% predicted, FEV(1)/FVC) were obtained. A total of 3.095 (51% females) subjects was included: mean age 58 years, BMI 26.3, and 31.5 pack-years. The majority of subjects (88%) reported MRC score 1 or 2. FEV(1)/FVC-ratio ≤ 0.7 was found in 34.8% of the subjects; the prevalence of airway obstruction increased with age and decreased with increasing BMI, and was higher in men and current smokers. According to the level of FEV(1), 79% of the subjects with airway obstruction had mild to moderate COPD. More than one-third of the recruited subjects had airway obstruction (FEV(1)/ FVC < 0.7). Early detection of COPD appears to be feasible through offering spirometry to adults with tobacco/occupational exposure and at least 1 respiratory symptom.