PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Bhupinder Mann AU - Essam Ramhamadany AU - Lesley Seddon AU - Emma Loveridge AU - Angela Glennon TI - A pilot study to detect airflow obstruction in smokers using spirometry in a local GP surgery DP - 2011 Sep 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - p3768 VI - 38 IP - Suppl 55 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p3768.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p3768.full SO - Eur Respir J2011 Sep 01; 38 AB - COPD is under diagnosed worldwide. In our locality, it is thought that a fifth of all COPD cases have been identified.Aim: To carry out a pilot study to screen smokers and ex-smokers in a local GP practice with spirometry to allow earlier COPD diagnosis.Methodology: Over a 7 month period, subjects were identified from a GP practice database. The target population included smokers/ex-smokers over the age of 35 who had smoked a minimum of 10 pack years; recurrent or chronic respiratory symptoms; occupational exposure to respiratory irritants or family history of COPD. Patients known to have COPD or asthma were excluded.Appropriate subjects completed a short questionnaire. Severity of airflow obstruction (AFO) was assessed using the UK NICE COPD 2004 guidelines: mild AFO FEV1 50-79% predicted, moderate AFO FEV1 30-49% predicted, severe AFO FEV1 <30% predicted. Spirometry was carried out by a trained nurse.Results: Out of 5,500 patients, 723 subjects were contacted and 203 had spirometry. In total 169 subjects had reliable spirometry which showed normal results in 80 patients (47.3%). AFO was present in 32/169 (18.9%-using NICE criteria). A further 50/169 (corresponding to GOLD stage 1 disease but not in the NICE guidelines) may be at risk giving a figure of 48.4% with AFO and possible COPD.Out of 92 patients who completed the questionnaire, 71 (77.1%) had not heard of COPD and 51% had respiratory symptoms.Conclusion: Proactive screening of smokers with spirometry can increase COPD identification. We are planning to roll this project out using the new NICE COPD 2010 guidelines, which require post bronchodilator spirometry values.This project was funded by Astra Zenica pharmaceutical company.