CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE AND ITS RISK FACTORS: A CASE CONTROL STUDY

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been defined as a disease characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible. It is a major health problem in India in terms of morbidity and mortality as well. In a resource-poor country like India, it is a challenge to curb the growing burden of COPD. To understand the risk factors that lead to the development of COPD in our community, a case control study was carried out at Rama Medical College, Hospital & Research Center (RMCH & RC) Mandhana, Kanpur. A total of 323 COPD cases & 325 controls were selected among the patients attending the department of tuberculosis & chest disease of this medical college. Diagnosis of COPD was made by using the standard clinical criteria and was further confirmed by spirometry, chest X-ray and Non Contrast Computed Tomography (NCCT) thorax as and when necessary. After obtaining informed consent from each patient a detailed clinical history regarding age, gender, usual place of residence, smoking habits and type of cooking fuel combustion at home was enquired by using predesigned questionnaire. Our studies showed that proportion of male were higher in case group than in controls. Significantly higher proportions of cases of COPD were having history of smoking as compared to controls. COPD patients had smoked higher mean pack-years as compared to controls. Exposures to environment tobacco smoke (ETS) and active smoking both were found as most important risk factor for the development of COPD. Other important risk factors found in this study were exposure to solid fuel smoke at home especially in females.