Patient characteristics | Smokers | Ex-smokers | Nonsmokers | Total |
Male sex | 38.9 (273) | 45.5 (280) | 29.2 (359) | 35.8 (912) |
Age yrs | 44 (33–56) | 56 (44–67) | 47 (34–60) | 47 (34–40) |
Comorbidities | | | | |
Respiratory comorbidities# | 16.8 (118) | 18.0 (111) | 11.5 (141) | 14.5 (370) |
Heart comorbidity¶ | 6.1 (43) | 12.2 (75) | 9.2 (113) | 9.1 (231) |
Diabetes | 4.1 (29) | 5.8 (36) | 4.3 (53) | 4.6 (118) |
Symptom information | | | | |
Total number of symptoms | 8 (6–9) | 8 (6–10) | 8 (6–9) | 8 (6–9) |
Symptom severity score+ | 31 (21–40) | 30 (19–40) | 29 (19–40) | 29 (19–40) |
Number of days unwell before consulting | 5 (3–7) | 5 (3–10) | 4 (3–7) | 5 (3–8) |
Number of coughs in past
12 months lasting >1 week | 2 (1–3) | 2 (1–3) | 2 (1–2) | 1 (0–2) |
Management | | | | |
Prescribed antibiotics | 60.0 (421) | 51.0 (314) | 53.2 (655) | 54.5 (1390) |
Duration of course days | 7 (5–7) | 7 (7–8) | 7 (5–7) | 7 (5–7) |
Working diagnosis | | | | |
Asthma related | 2.1 (15) | 2.8 (17) | 2.1 (26) | 2.3 (58) |
COPD related | 3.7 (26) | 2.1 (13) | 0.4 (5) | 1.7 (44) |
Chronic bronchitis related | 1.9 (13) | 1.0 (6) | 0.8 (10) | 1.1 (29) |
Upper respiratory tract infection | 22.7 (159) | 25.1 (154) | 30.9 (379) | 27.3 (692) |
Lower respiratory tract infection | 55.3 (387) | 51.5 (316) | 50.4 (617) | 52.0 (1320) |
Other/nonspecific | 14.3 (100) | 17.5 (107) | 15.3 (188) | 15.6 (395) |
Totals | 702 | 616 | 1231 | 2549 |