Volume 19 Issue 2 June 2010Original Research
Low body mass index, airflow obstruction, and dyspnoea in
a primary care COPD patient population
Pages 118-123
*Lisette van den Bemta, Ivo JM Smeeleb, Martijn Kolkmana, Richard Grolc, Chris van Weela, Tjard RJ Schermera
a
Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Department of Primary and Community Care. Centre for Family Medicine, Geriatric Care and Public Health, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
b
Diagnostic Centre Breda SHL, The Netherlands
c
Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, IQ Health Care, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Received 11 June 2009 • Accepted 3 November 2009 • Online 15 January 2010
Abstract
AIM: The objective of our study was to explore the existence/co-existence of factors – as per American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European
Respiratory Society (ERS) standards – for staging patients in a primary care COPD population.
METHOD: A representative sample of COPD patients in primary care was studied. Cross-sectional information on airflow obstruction, body
mass index (BMI), and dyspnoea (Modified Medical Research Council [MMRC] score) were collected. The existence/co-existence of these
prognostic factors is described.
RESULTS: The study sample consisted of 2,023 patients. BMI was low in 11.7%, MMRC score > 2 was found in 28.7%, and 53.9% fulfilled
the criteria of relevant airflow obstruction. Only 3.4% of this population scored on all three prognostic factors.
CONCLUSION: Moderate dyspnoea and moderate airflow obstruction were rather prevalent in this primary care population, but coexistence
of factors was low. Therefore, it seems that the assessment of BMI and dyspnoea represent additional information on primary
care COPD patients.
Keywords
COPD, prognosis, primary care, population, BMI, dyspnoea, airflow obstruction
* Corresponding author. Lisette van den Bemt Tel: +31(0)243619855 Fax: +31(0)243541862 Email: L.vandenbemt@elg.umcn.nl | |
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