Monthly and seasonal prevalence of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the District Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

BackgroundAsthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are the major airway diseases and are increasingly important causes of mortality, morbidity, and disability globally. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine monthly and seasonal patterns of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the study area during 2020–2021. The data of the indoor patients for the study period were obtained from the official records maintained in the District Head Quarter teaching hospital Dera Ismail Khan.ResultsA total of 2179 cases of asthma were recorded including 1609 (73.8%) in 2020 and 570 (26.2%) in 2021, and 740 cases of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were also recorded in 2020. Overall asthma was highest in March with 1128 (51.8%) cases and was lowest in July with 29 (1.3%) cases. Seasonal prevalence/pattern show that asthma relatively more prevailed during winter and early spring (December through March). Out of a total of 740 cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the highest 405 (54.7%) cases were recorded in February and the lowest 0 in April. Seasonal distribution indicated that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was relatively higher in winter (January–February).ConclusionsSeasonal variation and pattern in prevalence exist both in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as both indicated relatively higher prevalence in winter compared to summer and autumn.