PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Eirini Mitsiki
AU  - Mihail Toumbis
AU  - Manos Alhanatis
AU  - Nikoletta Rovina
AU  - Marianna Kakoura
AU  - Vasiliki Filaditaki
AU  - Georgios Tsoukalas
AU  - Evangelia Fouka
AU  - Dimitrios Lagonidis
AU  - Konstantinos Gourgoulianis
TI  - Impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and patients' absence from work in Greece - the GOLDEN II study
DP  - 2014 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - P797
VI  - 44
IP  - Suppl 58
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P797.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P797.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2014 Sep 01; 44
AB  - Introduction: COPD is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. According to the revised GOLD 2011 Strategy, classification of disease severity includes the assessment of airflow limitation, symptoms and history of exacerbations.Aim: To record disease severity, smoking history and days of absence from work.Methods: GOLDEN II was a multicenter, non-interventional, observational study. Patients with moderate and severe COPD aged >40 years, with available medical history, under treatment with indacaterol with or without tiotropium no longer than 10 days prior to enrolment, could be recruited. The duration of the study was 3 months. Data recording was completed in two visits (Day 1, month 3; end of study). Smoking and work history were collected through the patient-physician discussion. Absence from work was evaluated as days missed in the past week.Results: 333 patients were enrolled: mean age 68 ± 10.1 years, majority had moderate COPD (61% GOLD stage ΙΙ, mean FEV1 post-bronchodilation 55.9±14.7%), dyspnea (10% and 38% mMRC score 0 and 1, respectively) and 55% had one exacerbation in the year prior to study enrollment. More than half (54%) were ex-smokers; mean time of smoking cessation was 9±8 years and the mean tobacco exposure was 75±41 pack/years. 33% of the patients reported missing time from work and 15% reported that members of their family had lost days from work due to their COPD.Conclusions: The majority of the patients enrolled in GOLDEN II study could be classified as GOLD 2011 groups A and B. Although half of the patients had quit smoking, tobacco exposure and COPD impact on patients' productivity were significant.