Review of chronic obstructive airway disease patients admitted at Maamoura Chest Hospital from 2009 to 2012

BackgroundChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, it is often under diagnosed and under treated, resulting in underestimation of the burden of this disease. COPD is defined as a preventable and treatable disease with some significant extra pulmonary effects that may contribute to the severity in individual patients. Its pulmonary component is characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible. The airflow limitation is usually progressive and associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the lung to noxious particles or gases.ObjectiveTo review the COPD cases who were admitted at Maamoura Chest Hospital during the period from 2009 to 2012 as regards distribution of the disease, risk factors of the disease, severity and complications of the disease.Patients and methodsThis was a retrospective study that was based upon collecting the data of all COPD patients who were admitted at Maamoura Chest Hospital during the period from 2009 till 2012. The data included the following: personal data, clinical data, methods of diagnosis, intensive care unit admission, management and morbidity and mortality.ResultsIn the present study, 77.3% of the patients’ age ranged between 35 and 70 years, 11.4% were <35 years and 11.3% were >70 years. Also, 97.4% were males and 2.6% were females, 75.6% lived in urban areas and 24.4% lived in rural areas. 86.5% of the studied cases were smokers and 13.5% were non smokers. 12.8% of the studied cases were addicts and 87.2% were not. 57.1% of the addicted persons were addicted to cannabis, 19% were intravenous addicts and 23.8% were addicts to tramadol. The most common co morbidities in COPD patients were respiratory infections in 53.9% of cases, heart failure in 44.5% of cases, IHD in 37.9% of cases, AF in 30.5% of cases, HTN in 26.9% of cases and DM in 19.5% of cases respectively. The overall mortality rate was 5.7%, 8.5% among the patients who received O2 therapy, 85.1% among the patients who were put on CPAP, 63.8% among the patients who were put on invasive mechanical ventilation and 44.7% among the patients who were admitted to the ICU.ConclusionsCOPD is a very dangerous disease that affects the lives of many people. The overall aim of management of stable COPD is to ensure good control of symptoms, to slow down the progression of the disease and to prevent further deterioration or complications. The sooner the diagnosis is made and interventions implemented, the more the long-term prognosis is improved.