Factors leading to the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adult Pakistani males

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted to determine the factors associated with development of COPD among adult Pakistani men of 40 to 70 years of age. This case control study was conducted with total sample of 88 males aged 40 to 70 years old, 44 cases and 44 matched controls with 11 ratio. Cases were selected from the patients admitted in the Pulmonology Department Jinnah Hospital Lahore and controls from the other departments of the same hospital, during one month period. The data was collected through questionnaire consisting of variables like age, locality, occupation and smoking status. The spirometric cut off points [FEV1<80% of predicted and FEV1/FVC ratio <70% of predicted] were used as diagnostic tool for COPD. Cross tabulation was performed with dependent variables as presence of COPD and independent variables such as smoking, age, occupational exposure, locality etc. Multivariate logistic regression model was used with backward elimination technique for the adjustment of age, locality, income status, occupation, previous history of disease and smoking status. Cigarette smoking and age of more than 55 yrs have shown significant relationship with the development of COPD [p value<0.05]. Adjusted odd's ratio was 9.1065 for smoking and 4.2315 for age. Urban residents have a risk of developing COPD 2.14 times more than that of rural residents. Cigarette smoking is most important risk factor for development of COPD, so efforts should be made to control it