The prevalence of chronic respiratory disease in the male physicians of London, Ontario

Abstract

a survey of respiratory disease among male physicians of London, Ontario, resulted in a 96.3% response.The age-standardized rates of chronic bronchitis were not very different from others reported in the recent medical literature, taking into account smoking habits, but the overall prevalence of bronchial asthma was high (7.4%), with a low prevalence in the category "obstructive lung disease". The possibility of overlap or interchange in these diagnoses is raised, although the diagnosis of bronchial asthma in this particular group is believed to be well established in every case.A history of seasonal hay fever was given by 19.4%.One of 88 (1%) non-smokers had bronchitis, whereas six of them (7%) had asthma.Rhonchi heard in the chest, on a single examination, appeared to be most closely related to current smoking habits, ventilatory function tests and also to a clinical diagnosis of chronic bronchitis or obstructive lung disease, but not to bronchial asthma.