RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Prevalence of airflow obstruction according GOLD, ATS and ERS criteria in symptomatic ever-smokers referring to a pulmonary rehabilitation department
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP p3648
VO 38
IS Suppl 55
A1 Elisa De Mattia
A1 Adriano Vaghi
A1 Ilaria Pessina
A1 Giuseppe Pepe
A1 Benedetto Rho
A1 Nicola Barbarito
YR 2011
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p3648.abstract
AB Aim: To evaluate prevalence of airflow obstruction (AO) in ever-smokers ≥ 45 years old with both dyspnoea and chronic productive cough, using European Respiratory society (ERS) statement (FEV1/SVC <88 and <89% predicted in men and women, respectively), American Thoracic Society (ATS) statement (FEV1/FVC <75%), and Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) statement (FEV1/FVC <70%).Methods: Lung function tests were performed in each patients referred to our Pulmonary Rehabilitation department because of respiratory diagnosis or symptoms. For analysis, in patients showing AO we used post-bronchodilator lung function values.Results: In 184 ever-smoker patients with symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the prevalence rates of AO were as follows: ERS = 89.7%, ATS = 76.6%, and GOLD = 63.6%. Patients with AO according ERS criteria showing moderate to severe (M/S) obstruction (i.e., FEV1 <70% predicted) were 119. Patients with ERS M/S AO but without AO using either ATS or GOLD criteria were 8.4% and 19.3%, respectively.Conclusions: Prevalence of AO is highly dependent on which guidelines it is based. ATS and particularly GOLD statement can cause a large underdiagnosis even of moderate to severe COPD. Diagnosis of COPD may be overlooked if SVC is not performed.