Frequency of patients classified as Pre-COPD in tertiary care chest clinic.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of pre-COPD among patients attending a tertiary chest clinic. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: The Chest Clinic of Ojha Institute of Chest Disease (OICD), Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi, Pakistan. Period: December 2024 to March 2025. Methods: A total of 185 patients aged ≥ 18 years, having history of smoking and/or exposure to biomass fumes, and presenting with cough, sputum production, and/or shortness of breath were analyzed. Demographic information, along with cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath, were documented. Smoking status, and history of biomass exposure were noted. Spirometry of each patient was performed and pre-COPD was diagnosed. Data analysis was done using IBM-SPSS Statistics, version 26.0. Results: In a total of 185 patients, the mean age was 45.3±14.3 years, and 115 (62.2%) were male. Cough, shortness of breath, and sputum production were reported in 151 (81.6%), 109 (58.9%), and 36 (19.5%) patients, respectively. History of biomass exposure, and smoking were reported in 96 (51.9%), and 94 (50.8%) patients, respectively. Pre-COPD was identified in 47 patients (25.4%). There was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of pre-COPD by increasing age (p<0.001). Patients with pre-COPD more frequently reported sputum production (40.4% vs. 12.3%, p<0.001). All patients with pre-COPD demonstrated abnormal chest radiographs (100% vs. 21.0%, p<0.001). Conclusion: This study revealed a substantial prevalence of pre-COPD (25.4%) among patients at risk in a tertiary chest clinic setting. Pre-COPD was found to have significant associations with middle-aged groups, presenting with sputum production, and abnormal radiological findings.