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. 2011:6:123-7.
doi: 10.2147/COPD.S16929. Epub 2011 Jan 27.

Early detection of COPD in general practice

Charlotte Suppli Ulrik  1 , Anders Løkke, Ronald Dahl, Jens Dollerup, Gert Hansen, Patrick Hagge Cording, Klaus Kaae Andersen; TOP study group
Affiliations

Early detection of COPD in general practice

Charlotte Suppli Ulrik et al. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2011.

Abstract

Background and aim: 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.

Methods: 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.

Results: 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.

Conclusions: 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.

Keywords: COPD; airway obstruction; general practice; screening; spirometry.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Estimated age and gender specific prevalence of FEV1/FVC ratio ≤ 70%.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Nomogram used for predicting the probability of FEV1/FVC ≤ 70%. The model reported in Table 2 has been used in constructing the nomogram.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Distribution of enrolled subjects with airway obstruction (FEV1/FVC ≤ 70%) (n = 1078) according to severity of COPD (based on FEV1% predicted).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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