title: Prevalence and risk factors of airflow limitation in a Mongolian population in Ulaanbaatar: Cross-sectional studies.
abstract: The burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is expected to increase in the coming decades. In Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, air pollution, which has been suggested to correlate with COPD, is a growing concern. However, the COPD prevalence in Ulaanbaatar is currently unknown. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of airflow limitation and investigate the association between airflow limitation and putative risk factors in the Mongolian population. Five cross-sectional studies were carried out in Ulaanbaatar. Administration of a self-completed questionnaire, body measurements, and medical examination including spirometry were performed in 746 subjects aged 40 to 79 years living in Ulaanbaatar. The age- and sex-standardized prevalence of airflow limitation in Ulaanbaatar varied widely from 4.0 to 10.9% depending on the criteria for asthma. Age, body mass index (BMI), and smoking habit were independent predictors for airflow limitation while residential area and household fuel type were not significant. In conclusion, prevalence of putative COPD was 10.0% when subjects with physician-diagnosed asthma were excluded from COPD. Older age, lower BMI, and current smoking status were putative risk factors for airflow limitation. This prevalence was consistent with reports from Asian countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Motoyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisamitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Omori
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
authors.forename: Bandi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Solongo
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
authors.forename: Dashtseren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ichinnorov
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008986:Mongolia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors