Profile of patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a tertiary care hospital in central India
Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a public health problem. Tobacco smoking is the major cause, but not the only one. Air pollution, exposure to chemicals, environmental smoke exposure, and passive smoking are among other contributing causes; viral and bacterial infections also being risk factors. Gender and weight are associated with the severity of the disease. Co-morbidity is frequent.
Objective: To characterize a population of COPD patients.
Methods: Questionnaires were applied to patients with COPD. The data included gender, age, weight, body mass index (BMI), oxygen delivery users, and FEV1, exposure to tobacco smoke, exposure to wood smoke, history of tuberculosis and co-morbid diseases.
Results: Of the 110 patients enrolled in the study, 70% (77) were men with an average age of 64 ± 10 years, average weight of 63 ± 16 kg and average BMI of 22 ± 5 kg/m 2. Mean FEV 1 was 35 ± 14% and 45.7% were oxygen dependent. Sixteen (17.6%) patients never smoked, while 16.3% had quit tobacco smoking). Eighteen (19.8%) were exposed to wood smoke. Eight (8.8%) patients had tuberculosis, Five (4.5%) complained of asthma symptoms, 2 (1.8%) had bronchiectasis, Thirteen (11.8%) diabetes mellitus, Sixty two (56.3%) hypertension, and Fourteen (12.7%) Corpulmonale.
Conclusion: Other possible COPD etiologies must be investigated. Determinants of the pulmonary injury could be environmental smoke exposure associated to former infections. Men with low BMI are typically representative of this severe patient population. Hypertension and Cor Pulmonale are frequent co-morbidity factors.
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