Prevalence and severity of airway obstruction in an Italian adult population.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

This study sets out to estimate the prevalence and the degree of severity of bronchial obstruction in an adult population with three different diagnostic criteria: the European Respiratory Society (ERS), the American Thoracic Society (ATS), and the World Health Organization (WHO) defined as Global Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD).

METHODS:

1514 subjects underwent complete medical evaluation and spirometry.

RESULTS:

The prevalence of bronchial obstruction was respectively 27.5 % (ERS), 33% (GOLD), and 47.3 % (ATS). The prevalence of bronchial obstruction in the smoker group was 33.4% (ERS), 38.1% (GOLD), and 52.3% (ATS). The prevalence of obstruction in the ex-smoker group was 33% (ERS), 41.4% (GOLD), and 57.1% (ATS). The prevalence of obstruction in the non-smoker group was 21.1% (ERS), 24.9% (GOLD), and 38.6% (ATS).

CONCLUSIONS:

The results show that the prevalence of airway obstruction increases proportionally with age; the cigarette smoking represents an important conditioning factor. These observations warrant the necessity of a more complete and multi-parametric analysis in the evaluation of patients with airway obstruction using methodologies that explore the functional state and the risk factors that cause the airway obstruction.

• Authors: G Riccioni, M De Benedictis, R Della Vecchia, C Di Ilio, M T Guagnano, N D'Orazio
• Journal: Monaldi archives for chest disease = Archivio Monaldi per le malattie del torace (Monaldi Arch Chest Dis) Vol. 63 Issue 2 Pg. 88-92 (Jun 2005) ISSN: 1122-0643 [Print] Italy
• PMID: 16128223 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adult
• Age Factors
• Female
• Forced Expiratory Volume (physiology)
• Humans
• Italy (epidemiology)
• Lung Diseases, Obstructive (classification, epidemiology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (physiology)
• Prevalence
• Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive (classification, epidemiology)
• Severity of Illness Index
• Smoking (epidemiology)
• Spirometry (statistics & numerical data)
• Vital Capacity (physiology)