Hidden morbidity: The results of a collaborative community chronic obstructive pulmonary disease screening initiative

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often goes unrecognised resulting in people living with the disease without a diagnosis. We investigated the characteristics, symptom burden and flow of participants in a community COPD screening initiative. Screening was undertaken during four events over 2-weeks. Participants completed symptom questionnaires and FEV-1/FEV-6 measurement. Patients with FEV-1 <80% predicted or FEV-1 ≥ 80% predicted and FEV-1/FEV-6 <0.72 were considered 'screen-positive' and invited to attend a 1-stop diagnostic clinic. Two hundred and fifty-seven individuals participated (mean ± SD age 58 ± 16, 24% current smokers). Seventy-seven were screen-positive with 27 ultimately attending a 1-stop clinic and 18 having confirmed COPD. The CAT score of participants with COPD was 19.3 ± 11.4. Two-thirds had moderate airflow obstruction on spirometry. The diagnosis rate in this screening initiative was comparable to trials of systematic case finding. Further research is required to explore the broader clinical impact of COPD screening.