Frequency of COPD in health care workers who smoke

Abstract

Objective:COPD is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Health care providers should counsel their smoking patients with COPD to quit smoking as the first treatment step. However, in countries with high prevalences of smoking, health care workers may also be smokers. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and severity of COPD in health care workers who smoke. Methods:This was a cross-sectional study. All health care workers who smoke, from nine health care centers in Serbia, were invited to participate in the study and perform spirometry. The diagnosis of COPD was based on a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio of < 0.70. All patients completed the COPD Assessment Test and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. Results:The study involved 305 subjects, and 47 (15.4%) were male. The mean age of the participants was 49.0 ± 6.5 years. Spirometry revealed obstructive ventilatory defect in 33 subjects (10.8%); restrictive ventilatory defect, in 5 (1.6%); and small airway disease, in 96 (31.5%). A diagnosis of COPD was made in 29 patients (9.5%), 25 (86.2%) of whom were newly diagnosed. On the basis of the Global Initiative for COPD guidelines, most COPD patients belonged to groups A or B (n = 14; 48.2%, for both); 1 belonged to group D (3.6%); and none, to group C. Very high nicotine dependence was more common in those with COPD than in those without it (20.7% vs. 5.4%, p = 0.01). Conclusions:In this sample of health care workers, the frequency of COPD was comparable with that in the general population. The presence of COPD in health care workers who smoke was associated with higher nicotine dependence.

Quality of life, anxiety and depression in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

“…In national studies that assessed the smoking load in patients with the disease, values were lower than those found in this study. Age and smoking load were considered risk factors for the development of the disease (15)(16) .…”

Uticaj komorbiditeta na pojavu egzacerbacija među obolelim od HOBP usled zapostavljene imunizacije protiv sezonskog gripa

“…17 Kopitovic demonstrated that many physicians did not accept that they suffered from COPD and were not vaccinated against seasonal flu. 27 Similar was in Zimmerman study, where almost one-third of nonvaccinated persons didn't get information from their doctors regarding vaccination. 25 Original Research Poole has shown (a Cochrane analysis) the results of 11 studies regarding the efficacy of the influenza vaccine and COPD.…”

A relação entre o tabagismo e a Doença Obstrutiva Pulmonar Crônica: uma revisão de literatura

“…Em relação à frequência de ocorrência da DPOC em fumantes, a doença apresenta uma prevalência significativamente maior em fumantes com idades mais avançadas em comparação a fumantes mais novos. Assim como no caso de fumantes expostos a uma maior carga tabágica ao longo dos anos (1,4,6).…”