Abstract
Background: Although ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and chronic pulmonary diseases, eg COPD, share similar risk factors, the prevalence and rate of diagnosis of airflow limitation (AL) compatible with COPD, and other lung function abnormalities, in patients with IHD are largely unknown.
Methods: In a cross-sectional study conducted in 15 sites across nine European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden), we investigated the prevalence of airflow limitation compatible with COPD (defined as post-bronchodilator (BD) FEV1/FVC <0.70) and other lung function abnormalities in outpatients with documented IHD who were ≥40 years, and current or former smokers. Each participant completed a core questionnaire and performed full pre- and post-BD spirometry. Quality control of spirometry readings was performed by a centralized system.
Results: Up to April 2012, we studied 1803 evaluable IHD patients, 86.0% male, mean±SD age of 65.0±9.8 years. The prevalence of AL was 30.6% (95% C.I. 28.5%-32.8%, n=552) and, from 547 with available data, only 29.4% (n=161) of these had a prior diagnosis of COPD. In addition, we found a restrictive lung disease prevalence of 11.0% (defined as pre BD FVC<80% predicted and post BD FEV1/FVC≥70% predicted) in a subset of 1685 patients with available data.
Conclusions: Airflow limitation, compatible with COPD, and spirometry results suggestive of restrictive lung disease are frequent in individuals with IHD and are largely under-diagnosed, which has implications for the treatment and prognosis of both respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
- © 2012 ERS
