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Characteristics of COPD in never-smokers and ever-smokers in the general population: results from the CanCOLD study
W C Tan1, D D Sin1, J Bourbeau2
1University of British Columbia, Heart Lung Innovation, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Background:
There is limited data on the risk factors and phenotypical characteristics associated with spirometrically confirmed COPD in never-smokers in the general population.
Aims:
To compare the characteristics associated with COPD by gender and by severity of airway obstruction in never-smokers and in ever-smokers.
Method:
We analysed the data from 5176 adults aged 40 years and older who participated in the initial cross-sectional phase of the population-based, prospective, multisite Canadian Cohort of Obstructive Lung Disease study. Never-smokers were defined as those with a lifetime exposure of <1/20 pack year. Logistic regressions were constructed to evaluate associations for 'mild' and 'moderate-severe' COPD defined by FEV1/FVC <5th centile (lower limits of normal). Analyses were performed using SAS V.9.1 (SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina, USA).
Results:
The prevalence of COPD (FEV1/FVC
Conclusions:
The study confirmed the substantial burden of COPD among never-smokers, defined the common and gender-specific risk factors for COPD in never-smokers and provided early insight into potential phenotypical differences in COPD between lifelong never-smokers and ever-smokers.
Trial Registration Number:
NCT00920348 (ClinicalTrials.gov); study ID number: IRO-93326.
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