RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Who win? Spirometry versus symptoms for predicting the longitudinal outcomes in COPD patients – 10 years observation JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP p949 VO 38 IS Suppl 55 A1 Stoica Ion Gabriel A1 Adriana Teodorescu A1 Dobrescu Iulian Dan A1 Andrei Maria YR 2011 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p949.abstract AB The spirometric criteria for COPD diagnosis is the king of the gold standard and GOLD-guide accepted in diagnosis, treatment, follow, and disease prediction.Unfortunately, little attention has been paid on the importance of respiratory symptoms in the prognosis of the disease.Aim: To evaluate whether spirometric criteria are associated with long term clinical outcomes in COPD patients with or without chronic symptoms. In 2000-2001, 2756 non asthmatic participants in the ECRHS (20-44 years) were classified according to either the GOLD or the lower limit of normal (LLN) spirometric criteria.GOLD+ when FEV1/FVC<70% and LLN+ when FEV1/FVC<LLN. Each subject was classified according to the presence of chronic respiratory symptoms.% change in FEV1 (%ΔFEV1) and hospital services utilization (HSU) during the follow-up were evaluated in 2000 - 2010.Results: GOLD+ and LLN+ were 2.0% and 6.3%, respectively. Mean%ΔFEV1 and crude rate (1,000/yr) of HSU [with 95%CI] are reported in subjects with or without airflow obstruction:View this table:ResultsSpirometric criteria for COPD that don't take into consid. the presence of chronic respiratory symptoms poorly predict longitudinal outcomes in young adults.