[Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in France: the patients' perspective. Results of an international survey (Confronting COPD)].
BACKGROUND
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has become a real public health problem throughout the world. In spite of its association with high rates of morbidity and mortality, it is not accorded sufficient attention. In this paper, we present the results of the French part of the international survey "Confronting COPD in North America and Europe" concerning the impact of COPD from the perspective patients'.


METHODS
Subjects were randomly recruited by means of telephone questionnaires. Patients included in the survey were to be aged > or =45 years with a cumulative cigarette consumption of > or =10 packets-yrs, and having been diagnosed with COPD, emphysema or chronic bronchitis, or whose symptoms fulfilled a definition of chronic bronchitis.


RESULTS
According to this survey, the prevalence of COPD among smokers (mean number of packets per year: 38.2 +/- 26.1) was 3.2%. COPD was undiagnosed in 17% of patients in spite of the presence of characteristic symptoms. Respiratory difficulties had a marked adverse effect on the quality of life although patients tended to play down the severity of their problems.


CONCLUSIONS
This survey reveals that COPD appears to be under-diagnosed and under-treated in France, as shown by the results of the same survey in the other 7 countries taking part. Considerable efforts are thus required to improve the speed and precision of diagnosis and to improve management of these patients.
Similowski
Thomas
T
Service de pneumologie, Groupe hospitalier Pitié Salpêtrière, AP-HP, Paris (75). thomas.similowski@psl.ap-hop-paris.fr
Boucot
Isabelle
I
Piperno
Daniel
D
Huchon
Gérard
G
D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires