Determinants of respiratory symptom development in patients with chronic airflow obstruction.
BACKGROUND
This study was undertaken to identify the determinants of respiratory symptom development in patients with chronic airflow obstruction (CAO).


METHODS
Categories of symptomatic and asymptomatic CAO were defined using questionnaire responses and spirometric results. We analyzed data obtained as part of the second South Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (Korean NHANES II).


RESULTS
Among 187 patients with CAO, 69 had no respiratory symptoms. CAO patients with symptoms were significantly older than those without symptoms (P=0.026), and hypertension was more common among symptomatic CAO patients than among asymptomatic CAO patients (P=0.005). According to questionnaire responses, symptomatic CAO patients had more difficulty in walking or lifting (P<0.001), required more help with personal care (P=0.01), and had poorer general health than asymptomatic CAO patients (P=0.008). Symptomatic CAO patients had higher fasting blood glucose levels than asymptomatic CAO patients (P=0.028). Symptomatic CAO patients had significantly lower forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV1) (P=0.001), forced vital capacity (FVC) (P=0.008), and a ratio of FEV1/FVC than asymptomatic CAO patients (P<0.001). Statistically significant predictors of symptom development were as follows: age (odds ratio (OR) 1.04, P=0.028), hypertension (OR 4.41, P=0.008), fasting blood glucose (OR 1.02, P=0.034), FEV1 (OR 0.07, P=0.002), FVC (OR 0.08, P=0.009), FEV1/FVC (OR 0.00, P=0.001). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed two independent factors associated with symptom development: FEV1/FVC (OR 0.001, P=0.002) and hypertension (OR 5.95, P=0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
In CAO, respiratory symptom development is significantly associated with low FEV1/FVC and the presence of hypertension.
Chang
Jung Hyun
JH
Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Medical Research Institute, Mokdong Hospital of Ewha Womans University, 911-1 Mokdong, YangCheon-Ku, Seoul 158-710, Korea. hs1017@ewha.ac.kr
Lee
Jin Hwa
JH
Kim
Mi-kyoung
MK
Kim
Sung Ja
SJ
Kim
Ki Hwan
KH
Park
Jae-Suck
JS
Kim
Tae-Hyung
TH
Kim
Yu Il
YI
Lee
Eun Woo
EW
Kim
Jong O
JO
Hong
Sang Bum
SB
Kim
Dong Soon
DS