@article {CovveyP4750, author = {Jordan Covvey and Blair Johnston and Anne Boyter}, title = {Characterisation of patients with COPD in Scotland}, volume = {40}, number = {Suppl 56}, elocation-id = {P4750}, year = {2012}, publisher = {European Respiratory Society}, abstract = {Background: Characteristics and prevalence of the COPD population vary across the globe. Inequality in disease burden between the sexes has emerged as an important trend.Aim: To describe the population diagnosed with COPD in NHS Forth Valley.Methods: Data were obtained from 46 practices in NHS Forth Valley via an electronic interface with practice clinical software. Microsoft SQL{\textregistered} queries were designed to isolate patient characteristics, including age, sex, smoking status, and FEV1 \% predicted. Data were analysed with Minitab{\textregistered} 16 using 2-sample t-tests and binomial proportion confidence intervals.Results: 4611 patients were prescribed therapy for COPD in 2009; approximately half (48.0\%) were men. The mean age of the cohort was higher for men versus women (69.3 {\textpm} 10.8 years v. 68.2 {\textpm} 11.3 years, p=0.001). Overall COPD prevalence was similar between men and women. Peak prevalence (per 10,000 population) for men was reached at age 80 {\textendash} 89 years (903.3), but for women occurred earlier at 70 {\textendash} 79 years (633.8). Compared to men, prevalence rates were significantly higher in women at younger ages (\<60 years) and lower at older ages (>=70 years) (Figure 1). Women had a higher FEV1 \% predicted (63.0 {\textpm} 17.4\% v. 59.2 {\textpm} 18.2\%, p\<0.001), but were more likely to be current smokers (p\<0.001).Conclusions: Despite similar overall prevalence, female COPD patients in NHS Forth Valley are younger with less advanced disease, but higher smoking rates than their male counterparts.}, issn = {0903-1936}, URL = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P4750}, eprint = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P4750.full.pdf}, journal = {European Respiratory Journal} }