Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026
Auricular Acupuncture as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Combined with Sleep Disorders
Published on: August 18, 2023
Patterns of comorbidities in newly diagnosed COPD and asthma in primary care
Joan B Soriano1, George T Visick, Hana Muellerova
1Worldwide Epidemiology and Global Clinical Safety and Pharmacovigilance, GlaxoSithKline R&D, Upper Providence, PA, USA. joan.b.soriano@gsk.com
Study Objectives:
There is increasing interest in the frequency and nature of comorbidities in patients with obstructive lung disease: COPD and asthma. We aimed to quantify baseline rates of comorbidities in COPD and asthma patients and to compare the risks to the general population.
Design, Setting, And Participants:
Within the UK General Practice Research Database, we compared incident patients with COPD (n = 2,699) and asthma (n = 7,931) physician diagnosed in 1998 with age, gender, time, and practice-matched cohorts. Rates were calculated and relative risks (RRs) were estimated for comorbidities in major organ systems and selected medical events of a priori interest.
Measurements And Results:
In both COPD and asthma, the total sum of diagnoses related to major organ systems was higher than in their matched population controls. Among incident COPD patients, a frequency > 1% within the first year after diagnosis was observed for angina, cataracts, bone fractures, osteoporosis, pneumonia, and respiratory infections, the highest being angina with 4.0%. Compared to the non-COPD cohort, COPD patients were at increased risk for pneumonia (relative risk [RR] = 16.0), osteoporosis (RR = 3.1), respiratory infection (RR = 2.2), myocardial infarction (RR = 1.7), angina (RR = 1.7), fractures (RR = 1.6), and glaucoma (RR = 1.3) [all p < 0.05]. Of note, 2.0% of COPD patients had cataracts recorded, but this rate was no different than that of the non-COPD cohort (RR = 0.9). Among incident asthma patients, the occurrence of events was generally lower, likely due to the younger age distribution, except for 4.0% with respiratory infection (RR = 1.84) and 1.7% with fractures (RR = 1.5). Angina prevalence was 0.7% in the asthma cohort and 1.4 times more common than in patients without asthma.
Conclusion:
COPD and asthma are conditions associated with many comorbidities, albeit asthma to a lesser extent than COPD, which had not been systematically reviewed before. Baseline rates of cardiovascular-, bone-, and other smoking-related conditions are high.
Related Concept Videos
01:13Asthma III: Clinical Manifestations
01:30Asthma-IV: Diagnostic and Management
Clinical Assessment for Asthma:
This is the first step in diagnosing and managing asthma. It includes:
01:24Asthma-III: Symptoms and Complications
Classification of Asthma
01:26Asthma-II: Pathophysiology and Classification
Additionally, environmental and genetic factors play crucial roles in determining an individual's susceptibility to asthma and the severity of their condition.
Critical processes in asthma pathophysiology include:
01:20Asthma: Pathogenesis and Management
Asthma is classified as allergic and non-allergic. Allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander trigger allergic asthma, while factors like cold air, intense emotions, or exercise can induce non-allergic asthma.
01:24Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Smoking is a primary risk factor for COPD, with over 80% of patients having a history of it. Patients typically experience progressive dyspnea or labored breathing, frequent coughing, and recurrent pulmonary infections. Many eventually succumb to respiratory failure, characterized by...