A CLINICAL STUDY OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE IN NON-SMOKERS

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Many people suffer from this disease for years and die prematurely from it or its complications. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the world, and further increases in its prevalence and mortality can be predicted in the coming decades[2].
Tobacco smoking continues to be a major cause of COPD. However, tobacco smoking is not the only cause of COPD, and it may not even be the major cause in some parts of the world. This study is an attempt to study the clinical profile and the risk factors other than smoking in patients with COPD.
Materials and Methods:All patients who presented with history of cough, sputum, breathlessness or wheeze of more than 3 months duration to the medical outpatient department or admitted in medical wards of K.R.Hospital, Mysore were subjected to pre and post-bronchodilator pulmonary function testing. Those patients whose post bronchodilator FEV1/FVC was less than 0.7 and who satisfied inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in this study after informed consent. The sample size was 50 .
Results: Of 50 patients, 76% were females, 66% had <5 years duration of illness. Cough and expectoration was present in all,followed by breathlessness and wheeze. History of biomass fuel exposure was present in 84% and environmental tobacco smoke exposure was present in 100%. Occupational exposure was present in only 34% and air pollution exposure was present in 16%.Conclusion: Environmental tobacco smoke exposure and biomass fuel exposure were significant risk factors. According to this study, occupational exposure and air pollution were not significant risk factors.