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COPD Prevalence in Salzburg, Austria^*

Results From the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) Study

^* From the Department of Pneumology (Drs. Schirnhofer, Lamprecht, and Studnicka), Paracelsus Private Medical School, Salzburg, Austria; the Center for Health Research (Dr. Vollmer and Mr. Allison), Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OR; the University of Utah School of Medicine (Dr. Jensen), Salt Lake City, UT; and the Oregon Health & Science University (Dr. Buist), Portland, OR.

Correspondence to: Michael Studnicka, MD, MSc, FCCP, Müllner Hauptstrasse 48, Department of Pneumology, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; e-mail: m.studnicka{at}salk.at

Abstract

Background: COPD is projected to be the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2020. The Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease initiative was started to measure the prevalence of COPD in a standardized way and to provide estimates of the social and economic burden of disease.

Methods: We surveyed a gender-stratified, population-based sample of 2,200 adults 40 years of age. The findings of prebronchodilator and postbronchodilator spirometry, as well as information on smoking and reported respiratory disease was recorded. Irreversible airflow obstruction was defined as a postbronchodilator FEV₁/FVC ratio of < 0.70.

Results: For 1,258 participants with good-quality postbronchodilator spirometry findings, the overall prevalence of COPD at stage I or higher was 26.1%, and was equal in men and women. The prevalence of COPD stage II or higher (FEV₁/FVC ratio, < 0.7; FEV₁, < 80% predicted) was 10.7%. The prevalence of COPD stage I+, and COPD stage II+, increased with age and cigarette smoking. A doctor diagnosis of COPD was reported by only 5.6% of participants.

Conclusion: One quarter of residents of Salzburg County (Austria) who were 40 years of age had at least mild irreversible airflow obstruction. The high prevalence of COPD highlights the impending health-care crisis that will affect many countries as a result of this greatly underappreciated condition.

Key Words: airway obstruction • Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease • COPD prevalence • smoking prevalence

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