Abstract
Background: COPD prevalence is highly variable and geographical altitude has been linked to it, yet with conflicting results. We aimed to investigate this association, considering well known risk factors. Methods: A pooled analysis of individual data from the PREPOCOL-PLATINO-BOLD-EPI-SCAN studies was used to disentangle the population effect of geographical altitude on COPD prevalence. Post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC below the lower limit of normal defined airflow limitation consistent with COPD. High altitude was defined as >1500m above sea level. Undiagnosed COPD was considered when participants had airflow limitation but did not report a prior diagnosis of COPD. Results: Among 30,874 participants aged 56.1±11.3years from 44 sites worldwide, 55.8% were women, 49.6% never-smokers, and 12.9% (3978 subjects) were residing above 1500m. COPD prevalence was significantly lower in participants living at high altitude with a prevalence of 8.5% compared to 9.9%, respectively (p<0.005). However, known risk factors were significantly less frequent at high altitude. Hence, in the adjusted multivariate analysis, altitude itself had no significant influence on COPD prevalence. Living at high altitude, however, was associated with a significantly increased risk of undiagnosed COPD. Furthermore, subjects with airflow limitation living at high altitude reported significantly less respiratory symptoms compared to subjects residing at lower altitude. Conclusion: Living at high altitude is not associated with a difference in COPD prevalence after accounting for individual risk factors. However, high altitude itself was associated with an increased risk of undiagnosed COPD.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 162 |
| Journal | Respiratory Research |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 23 2017 |
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Keywords
- COPD
- Epidemiology
- Geographical altitude
- Risk factors
- Underdiagnosis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Cite this
Altitude and COPD prevalence : Analysis of the PREPOCOL-PLATINO-BOLD-EPI-SCAN study. / the BOLD Collaborative Research Group, the EPI-SCAN Team, the PLATINO Team and the PREPOCOL Study Group.
In: Respiratory Research, Vol. 18, No. 1, 162, 23.08.2017.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Altitude and COPD prevalence
T2 - Analysis of the PREPOCOL-PLATINO-BOLD-EPI-SCAN study
AU - the BOLD Collaborative Research Group, the EPI-SCAN Team, the PLATINO Team and the PREPOCOL Study Group
AU - Horner, Andreas
AU - Soriano, Joan B.
AU - Puhan, Milo A.
AU - Studnicka, Michael
AU - Kaiser, Bernhard
AU - Vanfleteren, Lowie E.G.W.
AU - Gnatiuc, Louisa
AU - Burney, Peter
AU - Miravitlles, Marc
AU - García-Rio, Francisco
AU - Ancochea, Julio
AU - Menezes, Ana M.
AU - Perez-Padilla, Rogelio
AU - Montes de Oca, Maria
AU - Torres-Duque, Carlos A.
AU - Caballero, Andres
AU - González-García, Mauricio
AU - Buist, A (Sonia)
AU - Flamm, Maria
AU - Lamprecht, Bernd
PY - 2017/8/23
Y1 - 2017/8/23
N2 - Background: COPD prevalence is highly variable and geographical altitude has been linked to it, yet with conflicting results. We aimed to investigate this association, considering well known risk factors. Methods: A pooled analysis of individual data from the PREPOCOL-PLATINO-BOLD-EPI-SCAN studies was used to disentangle the population effect of geographical altitude on COPD prevalence. Post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC below the lower limit of normal defined airflow limitation consistent with COPD. High altitude was defined as >1500m above sea level. Undiagnosed COPD was considered when participants had airflow limitation but did not report a prior diagnosis of COPD. Results: Among 30,874 participants aged 56.1±11.3years from 44 sites worldwide, 55.8% were women, 49.6% never-smokers, and 12.9% (3978 subjects) were residing above 1500m. COPD prevalence was significantly lower in participants living at high altitude with a prevalence of 8.5% compared to 9.9%, respectively (p<0.005). However, known risk factors were significantly less frequent at high altitude. Hence, in the adjusted multivariate analysis, altitude itself had no significant influence on COPD prevalence. Living at high altitude, however, was associated with a significantly increased risk of undiagnosed COPD. Furthermore, subjects with airflow limitation living at high altitude reported significantly less respiratory symptoms compared to subjects residing at lower altitude. Conclusion: Living at high altitude is not associated with a difference in COPD prevalence after accounting for individual risk factors. However, high altitude itself was associated with an increased risk of undiagnosed COPD.
AB - Background: COPD prevalence is highly variable and geographical altitude has been linked to it, yet with conflicting results. We aimed to investigate this association, considering well known risk factors. Methods: A pooled analysis of individual data from the PREPOCOL-PLATINO-BOLD-EPI-SCAN studies was used to disentangle the population effect of geographical altitude on COPD prevalence. Post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC below the lower limit of normal defined airflow limitation consistent with COPD. High altitude was defined as >1500m above sea level. Undiagnosed COPD was considered when participants had airflow limitation but did not report a prior diagnosis of COPD. Results: Among 30,874 participants aged 56.1±11.3years from 44 sites worldwide, 55.8% were women, 49.6% never-smokers, and 12.9% (3978 subjects) were residing above 1500m. COPD prevalence was significantly lower in participants living at high altitude with a prevalence of 8.5% compared to 9.9%, respectively (p<0.005). However, known risk factors were significantly less frequent at high altitude. Hence, in the adjusted multivariate analysis, altitude itself had no significant influence on COPD prevalence. Living at high altitude, however, was associated with a significantly increased risk of undiagnosed COPD. Furthermore, subjects with airflow limitation living at high altitude reported significantly less respiratory symptoms compared to subjects residing at lower altitude. Conclusion: Living at high altitude is not associated with a difference in COPD prevalence after accounting for individual risk factors. However, high altitude itself was associated with an increased risk of undiagnosed COPD.
KW - COPD
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Geographical altitude
KW - Risk factors
KW - Underdiagnosis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85028326343&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85028326343&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12931-017-0643-5
DO - 10.1186/s12931-017-0643-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 28835234
AN - SCOPUS:85028326343
VL - 18
JO - Respiratory Research
JF - Respiratory Research
SN - 1465-9921
IS - 1
M1 - 162
ER -