Screening older patients for obstructive airways disease in a semi-rural practice.
BACKGROUND
Obstructive airways disease in older patients is reported to be not only common, but frequently overlooked and untreated by general practitioners. This study examines the value of screening elderly patients in a large semi-rural general practice for potentially treatable asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).


METHODS
A random sample of 353 patients aged 60-75 years attended a nurse run screening clinic for pulmonary function testing, serial peak flow recording, and completion of a symptom questionnaire. Patients with a low forced expiratory volume in one second (below the fifth centile of their predicted value) or >15% mean diurnal variation in peak flow were referred to a doctor's clinic for further diagnostic assessment and/or to discuss possible treatment where appropriate.


RESULTS
Fifty eight patients (16.4%) had obstructive airways disease, the prevalence of asthma being 6.5% and that of COPD 9.9%. Of these, 30 had no previous diagnosis of airways disease and were not on treatment; eight of them had significant airways reversibility and 10 were current smokers. No newly diagnosed patients had severe disease as measured by pulmonary function or quality of life assessment, and six patients accepted treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Few older patients benefited from a screening programme for obstructive airways disease in a semi-rural general practice.
Dickinson
J A
JA
Central Surgery, King Street, Barton on Humber, North Lincolnshire DN18 5ER, UK.
Meaker
M
M
Searle
M
M
Ratcliffe
G
G
D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate / Q000502:physiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012423:Rural Health