Caracterização de uma população com risco acrescido de DPOC

AbstractIntroduction: Smoking is the main risk factor for COPD, and it is estimated that 15-20% of smokers will develop the pathology. Characterising this risk population is an important step in improved diagnosis of COPD, an increasing primary care challenge.Aims: To determine the percentage of smokers identified in patients aged 45-65 years old in a health centre, and their characterisation; to determine possible relationships between respiratory symptoms and abnormal obstruction of the small airways and the other variables studied.Material and methods: Observational, analytical, cross-sectional study carried out in a Portuguese health centre. Population: smokers aged 45-65 years old who filled in a questionnaire and underwent spirometry. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS v.13.0 (level of significance 0.05).Results: The sample was composed of 157 participants (31% ♀ and 69% ♂); average age 53.85years; average age at start of smoking 16.64years; average tobacco consumption 37.78 pack-years. Respiratory symptoms were present in 68.8% of the individuals, and were more frequent in men, those who started smoking earlier and those with higher tobacco consumption (p<0.05). Thirty percent had abnormal obstruction of the small airways, with this more frequent in older smokers and those with heavier tobacco consumption (p