[Characteristics of non-symptomatic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the epidemiological characteristics of non-symptomatic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients in a rural area in Beijing.


METHODS
The data of 1,624 people aged more than 40 in 5 villages in Yanqing county in Beijing were collected. Information of medical history and symptom were obtained, and physical examination and lung function test were performed.


RESULTS
The prevalence of COPD was 9.1% (148/1 624) in this area. In these 148 patients, 62 (42%) were non-symptomatic and 86 (58%) were symptomatic, the prevalence of non-symptomatic COPD being 3.8% (62/1 624). There was no statistical difference in the sex, age, occupation, marriage status, education level and smoking index between the symptomatic and the non-symptomatic groups (all P > 0.05). The forced expired volume in one second (FEV(1)) and FEV(1)% predicted were lower in the symptomatic group [(1.3 +/- 0.7) L, (61 +/- 23)%] than those in the non-symptomatic group [(1.5 +/- 0.6) L, (70 +/- 22)%; all P < 0.05].


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of COPD was high in this area with a high percentage of non-symptomatic patients. The COPD prevalence might be underestimated due to the symptom free patients.
Yao
Wan-zhen
WZ
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100083, China.
Zhu
Hong
H
Shen
Ning
N
Han
Xiang
X
Liang
Yan-jing
YJ
Zhang
Li-qiang
LQ
Sun
Yong-chang
YC
Hao
Zhen-ting
ZT
Zhao
Ming-wu
MW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012424:Rural Population