TY - JOUR T1 - Prevalence characteristics of COPD in never smokers JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 40 IS - Suppl 56 SP - P4744 AU - Ramadan Bakr AU - Ibrahim Elmahallawy Y1 - 2012/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P4744.abstract N2 - Background: COPD can be recorded among non smokers due to different causes other than smoking.Methods: This study was performed in the Chest Department, Menoufiya University, from April 2009 to August 2011, on 300 COPD patients, 230 men (76.66%) and 70 women (23.34%). The mean age was 60.7 ± 5.35 years. History was taken and exposure to risk factors for COPD was assessed by a prewritten questionnaire.Results: Out of the 300 COPD patients, 120 (40%) were never smokers and 180 (60%) were ever smokers. Women made up 41.7% of the never smokers and 11% of the ever smokers. Never smokers were significantly older than smokers [65.08 ± 5.03 years vs 56.33 ± 5.67 years (P < 0.001)] and were more likely to be women [41.7% vs 11% (P < 0.001)]. Never smokers made up 40% of all COPD cases: 78% of GOLD stage II and 45.5% of GOLD stage III cases. Among never smokers, 58.3% and 41.7% fulfilled the criteria for GOLD stage II and III respectively. Never smokers had more occupational exposure to organic and inorganic dust and irritant gases [41.7 % vs 27.7%, P < 0.05], more biomass exposure [41.7 % vs 0%, P < 0.001], less education [41.7 % vs 72.2%, P < 0.001], more exposure to passive smoking [75% vs 22.2%, P < 0.001]. When compared with never smokers with GOLD stage II, never smokers with GOLD stage III were older in age, have a higher female percentage, lower BMI, more occupational exposure, more biomass exposure, less education, more exposure to passive smoking. Independent predictors of COPD in never smokers were old age, female sex, occupational exposure, biomass exposure and low educational level.Conclusions: This study revealed that never smokers constitute a significant proportion of the egyptian COPD patients. ER -