Prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Rhinitis in Northern Greece

Abstract

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) constitutes one of the main factors responsible for morbidity and mortality worldwide. Rhinitis has a high prevalence, but its relationship to COPD has not been determined. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of COPD and rhinitis in northern Greece and to examine their correlation. Patients andMethods: Of a total of 8,151 subjects (aged 21–80 years, from three regions of northern Greece) invited to participate in the study, 6,112 (75%) were included. The regions studied were: (a) Thessaloniki (1,733 study participants, 52.7 ± 18.6 years old), an urban area with particulate air pollution frequently exceeding the acceptable limit, (b) Eordea (3,537 study participants, 51.4 ± 15.5 years old), a typical industrial area with particulate air pollution with daily values exceeding the acceptable limit and (c) Grevena (842 study participants, 55.6 ± 15.4 years old), a mountainous area without pollution. The study participants filled in the questionnaire on respiratory symptoms of the Committee on Environmental and Occupational Health of the Medical Research Council and underwent spirometry and rhinomanometry tests. Results: The prevalence of COPD was 5.6% (8.2% in men and 2.5% in women) and that of rhinitis 24.7% (27.4% in men and 21.4% in women). COPD and rhinitis are related to common predisposing factors (smoking, age and sex). Moreover, rhinitis is related to particulate air pollution levels. Conclusions: The prevalence of COPD and rhinitis in northern Greece does not differentiate from that found in other industrial countries. A functional relationship between upper and lower airways is speculated.

Impact of the financial crisis on COPD burden: Greece as a case study

“…In the pre-crisis period 73.3% of COPD patients in Greece were reported to be males [31], while the sex-standardised COPD prevalence was 11.6% for men and 4.8% for women [31]. Analogous results were obtained from a study conducted in northern Greece, in which the prevalence of COPD in males was shown to be 8.2% and in females was 2.5% [32]. Likewise during the crisis, MITSIKI et al [35] estimated that the male to female ratio in Greece was 2.5:1 and another study conducted in 2010 in Thessaly (central Greece) in 2010 found that women represented 12.5% of COPD patients [33].…”

“…A number of studies have shown that COPD has been more prevalent among smokers, older adults and males in Greece [31][32][33]35]. COPD patients have displayed this profile both pre-crisis and throughout the crisis period.…”

“…There is a linear increase in COPD prevalence with patients age [25,[31][32][33]. The average age of COPD patients across studies was 71 and 68 years for the pre- [33] and post-crisis period [35], respectively.…”

“…Another study conducted between March and May 2001 estimated that the overall COPD prevalence in the population aged >35 years with a smoking history of >100 cigarettes per lifetime was ∼8.4% [31]. A study published 1 year later, performed in northern Greece and including the population over an extended age range, reported a lower COPD prevalence rate of 5.6% [32]. One of the latest studies conducted before the Greek crisis began (from January 2006 to June 2007) included 15 primary healthcare centres in central Greece and documented a prevalence rate of 18.4% [33].…”

Upper airway. 3: Sinonasal involvement in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

“…A study from Greece compared the prevalence of rhinitis in subjects with and without COPD. 12 COPD was confirmed with spirometry, and rhinitis was defined by the presence of nasal symptoms together with objective evidence of reduced nasal airflow at rhinomanometry. Of the 6112 subjects assessed, 6% had COPD and 25% had rhinitis.…”