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- Title
GPs should not try to detect mild COPD.
- Authors
Enright, Paul; Fragoso, Carlos Vaz
- Abstract
More than 40 years ago, Robert Hyatt and Paul Enright at The Mayo Clinic in Minnesota wrote an office spirometry book in which primary care practitioners were encouraged to detect COPD early[1], and concluded: "Spirometry should be performed for all patients over the age of 40 years who smoke cigarettes [but] we do not advocate mass screening". All guidelines agree that a single spirometry test without airflow obstruction (the "O" in COPD) rules out COPD for that patient. However, a recent review of mild COPD admitted that: "Future research should address two major issues: first, whether mild airflow limitation represents an early stage of COPD and ... whether regular treatment should be considered for COPD patients with mild airflow limitation..."[33]. Also, it has been said that "everything is "COPD" until the correct diagnosis is made", so carefully consider causes of a chronic cough or dyspnea other than COPD, even in elderly smokers with abnormal spirometry.
- Subjects
OBSTRUCTIVE lung diseases; COUGH; BRONCHIECTASIS
- Publication
NPJ Primary Care Respiratory Medicine, 2020, Vol 30, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
2055-1010
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/s41533-020-0176-0