[Accuracy of COPD questionnaires in the general health check-up setting]

To evaluate the accuracy of the International Primary Care Airways Group (IPAG)-COPD questionnaire for detection of airflow limitation in the general health check up setting, we conducted a cross-sectional study in 186 subjects who underwent spirometry and filled out COPD questionnaire with a recommended cut-off level of 17 points. The prevalence of airflow limitation defined as FEV1/FVC < 70% was 3.8%. When the subjects were restricted to those 40 years or older, the prevalence was 5.5%. When we used a cut-off level of 17 points to detect airflow limitation, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and positive likelihood ratio (LR+) were 14.3%, 83.2%, 3.2%, and 0.85, respectively. When the cut-off level was changed to 14 points, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and LR+ were 85.7%, 59.2%, 7.6%, and 2.10, respectively. The questionnaire was useful to find airflow limitations in the general health check-up setting with a cut-off level of 14 points.