title: Comorbidity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in family practice: a cross sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is frequent and often coexists with other diseases. The aim of this study was to quantify the prevalence of COPD and related chronic comorbidity among patients aged over 40 years visiting family practices in an area of Madrid.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in a health area of the Madrid Autonomous Region (Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid). The practice population totalled 198,670 persons attended by 129 Family Physicians (FPs), and the study population was made up of persons over the age of 40 years drawn from this practice population. Patients were deemed to have COPD if this diagnosis appeared on their clinical histories. Prevalence of COPD; prevalence of a further 25 chronic diseases in patients with COPD; and standardised prevalence ratios, were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of COPD in family medicine was 3.2% (95% CI 3.0-3.3) overall, 5.3% among men and 1.4% among women; 90% of patients presented with comorbidity, with a mean of 4 ± 2.04 chronic diseases per patient, with the most prevalent related diseases being arterial hypertension (52%), disorders of lipid metabolism (34%), obesity (25%), diabetes (20%) and arrhythmia (15%). After controlling for age and sex, the observed prevalence of the following ten chronic diseases was higher than expected: heart failure; chronic liver disease; asthma; generalised artherosclerosis; osteoporosis; ischaemic heart disease; thyroid disease; anxiety/depression; arrhythmia; and obesity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with COPD, who are frequent in family practice, have a complex profile and pose a clinical and organisational challenge to FPs.
authors: Multiprofessional Education Unit for Family and Community Care (South-east), Hacienda de Pavones, 271, Madrid, 28030, Spain. lgarcia.gapm02@salud.madrid.org
authors: Luis
authors: L
authors: García-Olmos
authors: Angel
authors: A
authors: Alberquilla
authors: Victoria
authors: V
authors: Ayala
authors: Pilar
authors: P
authors: García-Sagredo
authors: Leticia
authors: L
authors: Morales
authors: Montserrat
authors: M
authors: Carmona
authors: María José
authors: MJ
authors: de Tena-Dávila
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Pascual
authors: Adolfo
authors: A
authors: Muñoz
authors: Carlos H
authors: CH
authors: Salvador
authors: Jose L
authors: JL
authors: Monteagudo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology