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COPD in Never-Smokers: BOLD Australia Study

Marsha A Ivey^1,2, Sheree M Smith^3,4, Geza Benke¹

¹School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.

International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

|January 22, 2024

Abstract

Purpose:

Tobacco smoking is the major risk factor for COPD, and it is common for other risk factors in never-smokers to be overlooked. We examined the prevalence of COPD among never-smokers in Australia and identified associated risk factors.

Methods:

We used data from the Australia Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study, a cross-section of people aged ≥40 years from six sites. Participants completed interviews and post-bronchodilator spirometry. COPD was primarily defined as an FEV₁/FVC ratio <0.70 and secondarily as the ratio less than the lower limit of normal (LLN).

Results:

The prevalence of COPD in the 1656 never-smokers who completed the study was 10.5% (95% CI: 9.1-12.1%) [ratio

Conclusion:

COPD was prevalent in this population of never-smokers aged 40 years and over. This finding highlights the significance of risk factors other than smoking in the development of COPD.

Keywords:

BOLD LLN burden of obstructive lung disease lower limit of normal non-smokers prevalence spirometry

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