Spirometric obstruction and tobacco exposure among male Turkish nursing home residents


Bahat G., Akpinar T. S., Iliaz R., Tufan A., Tufan F., BAHAT Z., ...More

AGING MALE, vol.18, no.2, pp.93-96, 2015 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 18 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2015
  • Doi Number: 10.3109/13685538.2014.889674
  • Journal Name: AGING MALE
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.93-96
  • Karadeniz Technical University Affiliated: No

Abstract

Spirometric obstruction is a prevalent problem in older adults and related to life-style risk factors. Symptoms related to chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease (COPD) are also prevalent symptoms with diverse etiologies - not limited to pulmonary obstruction. Older adults may have unrecognized airway obstruction due to functional limitations or symptoms mis-attributed to age/other co-morbidities. Therefore, spirometric obstruction may clinically be over/under diagnosed. Over last few decades, the burden of smoking-related diseases has increased in older adults. Additional evidence regarding older adults is required. We aimed to study frequency of spirometric obstruction, its over/under diagnosis and tobacco exposure in a group of male nursing-home residents. For spirometric obstruction diagnosis, two different thresholds [(fixed value: 0.70) versus (age-corrected value: 0.65 in residents >65 years of age)] were compared for better clinical practice. One hundred and three residents with 71.4 +/- 6.3 years-of-age included. Spirometric obstruction prevalences were 39.8 and 29.1% with fixed and age-corrected FEV1/FVC thresholds, respectively. Age-corrected FEV1/FVC threshold underdiagnosed COPD in 1.9% while fixed threshold overdiagnosed spirometric obstruction in 8.7%. Active smokers were 64.1%, ex-smokers 23.3% and non-smokers 12.6%. Our study suggests high prevalences of spirometric obstruction and smoking in male nursing-home residents in Turkey. We suggest the use of age-corrected FEV1/FVC threshold practicing better than the use of fixed FEV1/FVC threshold in this patient group.