English

Abstract

Respiratory diseases impose a tremendous health burden on society. As countries industrialize, rising pollution and changes in lifestyle have contributed to increased levels of respiratory disease. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a group of disorders characterized by chronic airflow obstruction/limitation. The airway obstruction is persistent and largely irreversible. WHO defines COPD as encompassing two groups of lung diseases, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The present universally accepted guidelines no longer divide COPD into chronic bronchitis or emphysema as there is not much difference with regard to treatment protocols. AIM: The present study is being undertaken to evaluate the clinical, radiological and pulmonary functions in patients of COPD. An attempt also has been made to classify patients of COPD into chronic bronchitis and emphysema. A total of 153 patients were screened and inclusion and exclusion criteria applied. Forty patients were evaluated clinically, radiologically and pulmonary functions including diffusion studies were done. They were phenotypically divided into emphysema predominant and chronic bronchitis predominant. Breathlessness as assessed by MMRC grade and pulmonary functions were equal in both the groups. There was no radiological and phenotypical correlation. CONCLUSION: There is no significant difference in the severity of airflow obstruction as measured by FEV1 between the two phenotypes of COPD (Fisher's exact test, P>0.05). There is a significant overlapping of symptoms, radiological findings and pulmonary functions among the phenotypes of COPD. Hence it can be reasonably concluded that it is difficult to make a diagnosis of COPD phenotypes based on clinical, radiological, spirometry and DLCo parameters.