Chest ACCP Member Benefits
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Guest Access | Sign In via User Name/Password
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Free
Right arrow Full Text (PDF) Free
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Article Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (12)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Bobadilla, A.
Right arrow Articles by Barbee, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Bobadilla, A.
Right arrow Articles by Barbee, R.
(Chest. 2002;122:1234-1239.)
© 2002 American College of Chest Physicians

How Accurate Is the Self-Reported Diagnosis of Chronic Bronchitis?*

Arnel Bobadilla, MD; Stefano Guerra, MD, MPH; Duane Sherrill, PhD and Robert Barbee, MD, FCCP

* From the Arizona Respiratory Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.

Correspondence to: Robert A. Barbee, MD, FCCP, Arizona Respiratory Center, University of Arizona, 1501 N Campbell Ave, PO Box 245030, Tucson, AZ 85724-5030; e-mail: rbarbee{at}resp-sci.arizona.edu

Background: Although it is defined as cough and sputum production for at least 3 months per year for at least 2 consecutive years, difficulties exist in the use of the term chronic bronchitis for clinical diagnosis. In particular, the relationship between diagnosis and symptoms has been difficult to ascertain.

Study objectives: To determine, in a large epidemiologic study, the degree to which a new self-reported diagnosis of chronic bronchitis (NCBR) satisfies the symptom criteria for that diagnosis, and to determine the relationship between self-reported physician-confirmed diagnoses and symptom criteria.

Methods: We analyzed data obtained from the Tucson Epidemiologic Study of Obstructive Lung Diseases. Using responses to standardized respiratory questionnaires administered to 4,034 subjects, those with NCBRs were selected and assessed as to whether they met symptom criteria for that diagnosis. Descriptive statistics pertaining to gender, age, and smoking status were obtained. Furthermore, we determined how often symptom criteria were met among a subset of subjects with physician-confirmed self-reported diagnoses.

Results: Of 481 subjects with NCBRs, only 56 subjects (11.6%) met the required symptom criteria. Men compared with women and current smokers compared with ex-smokers or neversmokers were more likely to meet symptom criteria. Four hundred fifteen of 481 subjects with NCBRs had physician-confirmed self-reported diagnoses. Of these, only 52 subjects (12.5%) met symptom criteria. Within the subgroup of subjects who met symptom criteria, higher percentages were observed in the older age groups, but this was not statistically significant.

Conclusion: Only a minority of subjects with NCBRs satisfy the symptom criteria of cough and sputum production for at least 3 months per year for at least 2 consecutive years. This relationship holds true even among those with physician-confirmed self-reported diagnoses.

Key Words: asthma • bronchiectasis • chronic bronchitis • COPD • cough • emphysema • rhinitis • sinusitis • sputum




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ChestHome page
S. S. Braman
Chronic Cough Due to Chronic Bronchitis: ACCP Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines
Chest, January 1, 2006; 129(1_suppl): 104S - 115S.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur Respir JHome page
M. Miravitlles and A. Torres
Antibiotics in exacerbations of COPD: lessons from the past
Eur. Respir. J., December 1, 2004; 24(6): 896 - 897.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur Respir JHome page
L. Trupin, G. Earnest, M. San Pedro, J.R. Balmes, M.D. Eisner, E. Yelin, P.P. Katz, and P.D. Blanc
The occupational burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Eur. Respir. J., September 1, 2003; 22(3): 462 - 469.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ChestHome page
S. Guerra, D. L. Sherrill, A. Bobadilla, F. D. Martinez, and R. A. Barbee
The Relation of Body Mass Index to Asthma, Chronic Bronchitis, and Emphysema
Chest, October 1, 2002; 122(4): 1256 - 1263.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2002 by the American College of Chest Physicians.