RESUMO
In 524 elderly patients with COPD, risk factors for the development of the underlying disease were assessed. It turned out that a significant proportion of elderly patients with COPD had never been exposed to tobacco smoke. A previous diagnosis of asthma in elderly patients is associated with an increased risk of developing COPD among never-smokers. Exposure to organic dust in the workplace and a history of severe childhood respiratory tract infections also increase the risk of an underlying disease. The data obtained determine the need for an integrated approach to the analysis of risk factors for the development of COPD in non-smoking patients in order to draw up individual preventive programs aimed at preventing the development and progression of the disease.
