Publication:

Prevalence of asthma chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap in patients attending a tertiary health care centre

Background The study aimed to assess the magnitude of asthma chronic obstructive pulmonary disease asthma chronic obstructive (ACO) in patients with chronic airway disease.

Methods The study was conducted as cross-sectional study on patients with chronic airway disease presenting at our institute during the study period of 1 year. Global initiative for asthma management and prevention (GINA) syndromic approach table was used to diagnose patients with chronic airways disease. Syndromic and confirmatory diagnosis of ACO was made based upon clinical features and spirometry respectively.

Results About 73.6% were diagnosed as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 26.4% cases were diagnosed as asthma. Overall ACO was present in 20% cases. ACO was significantly associated with advancing age, male gender, and longer duration of smoking (p<0.05) in asthma patients whereas in COPD patients ACO was associated with advancing age (p<0.05).

Conclusions Overall one fifth of the patients with chronic airway disease have asthma COPD overlap. The ACO is observed in almost equal proportions in asthma and COPD. ACO prevalence was found to increase with age in patients with asthma and COPD.