The Prevalence Of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) In A General Medicine Service

Objectives: to measure the prevalence of COPD in patientsadmitted to an urban teaching hospital, to determine the frequency of adiagnosis of COPD at admission or discharge and to emphasize the need ofspirometry.Methods: Between September and December 2004, the patients admitted tothe second affiliated hospital Zhejiang University of medical college completedbedside spirometry and a questionnaire and after they discharged weabstracted their information from the admission note and the discharge summary. Results: 26.7% (134 of 501 patients) were diagnosed of COPD. Only 25.4% (34 of 134 patients) with COPD had diagnosis at admission. Only 23.9% (32 of 134 patients) with COPD were received spirometry. Only 31.3% (42 of 134 patients) with COPD were received bronchodilator medication at hospital admission or discharge. Conclusions: COPD is common in hospitalized patients and is usually undiagnosed and untreated. Spirometry may be a useful component of the examination of hospitalized medical patients to identify COPD.