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.
Highlights
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by persistent airflow limitation caused by a mixture of small airway disease and parenchymal destruction [1]
Male-to-female ratio was 0.53 (258: 488), and body mass index (BMI), smoking status, residential district, and severity of airflow limitation according to GOLD criteria were significantly different between sexes
The present study showed that lower BMI was one of the independent predictive variables for presenting airflow limitation, suggesting that low BMI is strongly associated with COPD development
Summary
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by persistent airflow limitation caused by a mixture of small airway disease and parenchymal destruction [1]. According to WHO estimates, COPD is the third leading cause of death globally [2]. There were 3.1 million COPD deaths in 2012, corresponding to 5% of all deaths worldwide. The morbidity and mortality of COPD, and its associated economic and social burdens, are increasing globally even in the low- and middle-income countries [3, 4]. The most evident risk factor for COPD is cigarette smoking, with COPD prevalence correlating with tobacco smoking prevalence. Outdoor and indoor air pollution is a major risk factor of COPD [5]
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