title: [COPD: Patients speak to doctors. Survey from the Fédération française des associations et amicales de malades insuffisants ou handicapés respiratoires (FFAAIR)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to hear COPD patients about their condition, their symptoms, the course of their condition and their knowledge about their disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were offered to COPD patients attending pulmonary physicians, rehabilitation centers and patients associations from February to June 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 348 patients (mean age 66 years) completed the questionnaire. Among them, 67% were male, 21% were active smokers and 68% were ex-smokers. Two third of the patients had been exposed to passive smoking and half to occupational toxic inhalations. The Body Mass Index was above 25 for the majority of the patients. Patients reported that symptoms were frequently experienced for a long time before COPD: essentially dyspnea, cough, sputum and iterative acute bronchitis. General symptoms were observed in two third of the cases and comorbidities were present in 91% of the cases. These symptoms motivated a consultation to general practitioners but diagnosis was actually made by pneumologists in 91% of the cases. For 39% of responders, delay before diagnosis was more than 4 years. Prior to diagnosis, the word "COPD" was unknown to 80% of the patients. Following the diagnosis, 63% of patients did not know their COPD severity stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey underlines the role of passive smoking and exposure to occupational inhalation, and the frequency of general symptoms, comorbidities and typical signs of COPD a long time before diagnosis. This delay is usually several years. A minority of patients know the name and the stage of their illness.
authors.affiliation: Service de pneumologie B et de transplantations pulmonaires, hôpital Bichat, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 46, rue Henri-Huchard, 75877 Paris cedex 18, France. Electronic address: gilles.jebrak@bch.aphp.fr.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jébrak
authors.affiliation: Service de pneumologie B et de transplantations pulmonaires, hôpital Bichat, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 46, rue Henri-Huchard, 75877 Paris cedex 18, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vicaire
authors.affiliation: Service de pneumologie B et de transplantations pulmonaires, hôpital Bichat, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 46, rue Henri-Huchard, 75877 Paris cedex 18, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects; D015897:Comorbidity; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D012955:Societies, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
keywords: BPCO; COPD; Diagnosis delay; Délai diagnostique; Enquête; Survey; Symptoms; Symptômes