PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Pekka Jousilahti
AU  - Tiina Laatikainen
AU  - Tari Haahtela
AU  - Erkki Vartiainen
TI  - Symptoms of chronic bronchitis have decreased among Finnish men during 40 years
DP  - 2013 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 3316
VI  - 42
IP  - Suppl 57
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/3316.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/3316.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2013 Sep 01; 42
AB  - Introduction: Smoking, air pollution and infections are major risk factors determining the prevalence of chronic bronchitis.Aim: To assess the prevalence of the classical symptoms of chronic bronchitis and their 40-year trends among men and women in eastern Finland.Methods: Study population consists of eastern Finnish men and women aged 30 to 59 years who participated in population-based health surveys (the National FINRISK Study) conducted every five years since 1972 (total of nine surveys). Data were collected using standardized questionnaires including three questions: (1) cough with sputum in winter mornings, (2) cough with sputum during day and night during winter and (3) occurrence of cough with sputum during the most days and nights at least three months during a year.Results: Among men the prevalence of all three symptoms decreased between 1972 and 2007: from 34.2 % to 14.6% for morning symptom, 30.5-14.7 % for day and night symptoms, and 25.4-13.5 % for the symptoms lasting at least three months during a year. A small increase of the symptoms was observed between 2007-2012. Among women the prevalence of the symptoms varied only slightly during the 40-year period: being 19.5% in 2012 for morning symptom, 17.6% for day and night symptom, and 17.3 % for the symptoms lasting at least three months during a year.Conclusions: Prevalence of the symptoms of chronic bronchitis decreased markedly between 1972 and 2012 among men, but remained at the same level among women. In 1972 symptoms were twice more common in men than in women, but in 2012 women reported symptoms slightly more often. These different trends are most probably explained by different trends in smoking prevalence in men and women.