Source: Annual Congress 2002 - Prevalence and costs of COPD
Disease area: Airway diseases

Abstract

Aim: to evaluate the prevalence of COPD and medicines consumption in two Italian areas. Methods: data were collected from 1988 to 1993 on two general population samples of Northern and Central Italy (n=5682; males 46%; 8-97 yrs). Analyses on drug use were performed on a sub-sample (n=4010; males 48%; 8-88 yrs). Diagnoses of chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema (COPD) and/or chronic cough/phlegm (COLD) were assessed along with the GOLD criterion (FEV1/FVC<0.70) of airflow obstruction (AO). Results: COPD and COLD prevalences were significantly higher in males than in females (7.7 vs 2.7% and 26.5 vs 14.7%, respectively), in urban than in rural area (7.1 vs 2.9% and 22.2 vs 18.1%, respectively) and increased with ageing and smoking, regardless of sex. AO was present in the 12.5% of the sample (males 16.4%; females 8.6%). Habitual drugs (HD) were taken by 59% of COPD, 38% of COLD and 40% of AO patients; corresponding figures for specific drugs (SpD) (antiallergic and/or broncho-pulmonary and/or cardiovascular and/or diuretic) were 38, 21 and 25%. Probability of assuming HD and SpD was significantly elevated in moderate vs mild AO patients: OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.16-2.77) and OR 1.7 (95% CI 1.06-2.74), respectively. Conclusion: in Italian general population samples a remarkable prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disese according to GOLD stage 0 and I was observed. However, notwithstanding the association with severity of AO, there was an under-use of medications.
Supported by an educational grant of GSK, London, UK.

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M. Simoni, G. Matteelli, A. Angino, F. Pistelli, S. Baldacci, E. Polverino, L. Carrozzi, G. Viegi (Pisa, Italy). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and medicine comsumption in Italian general population samples. Eur Respir J 2002; 20: Suppl. 38, 831

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