Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and associated factors: the PLATINO Study in São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is now a major public health concern; deaths attributable to COPD in Latin America have increased by 65.0% in the last decade. This study was aimed at evaluating COPD prevalence and associated factors in adults (> 40 years) living in Greater Metropolitan São Paulo, Brazil. The study is part of the Proyecto Latinoamericano de Investigación en Obstrucción Pulmonar (The PLATINO Project), a multi-center survey on COPD burden in Latin America, with São Paulo as the first center where the project has been carried out. A population-based sample was selected in multiple stages. Spirometry tests were performed in each subject pre- and post-bronchodilator and COPD was mainly defined as the ratio of forced expiratory volume to forced vital capacity below 70.0% (fixed ratio definition). Other spirometric criteria were also used for the diagnosis of COPD. COPD prevalence was 15.8% (95%CI: 13.5-18.1) using the fixed ratio definition. COPD was positively associated with age and smoking and inversely with body mass index. Utilization of different COPD spirometry criteria resulted in different percentages of COPD, but similar associated factors.

Prevalence of self-reported chronic diseases in individuals over the age of 40 in São Paulo, Brazil: the Platino study

“…The prevalence of this disease in São Paulo, which may affect as many as seven million people in Brazil, was 15.8% in individuals aged 40 years and over 3,5 . It is well known that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease imposes a substantial burden on the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS): approximately 180,000 patients per year are admitted to hospital due to this disease and it was the sixth greatest cause of death in Brazil in 2004, with 33,000 deaths (Health Information Department.…”

“…The methods and results regarding chronic obstructive pulmonary disease prevalence in Latin America have been published in previous studies 3,5 . Briefly, PLATINO was a transversal study designed to determine chronic obstructive pulmonary disease prevalence and associated risk factors in five large metropolitan areas of Latin America, including São Paulo in Brazil.…”

“…In the case of Brazil, the questionnaire included questions about prevalent diseases among the sample population 3 . In São Paulo, the study found a high prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (15.8%) 3 and over 60% of the sample population was shown to be overweight or obese 5 . Obesity is strongly associated with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, diseases that usually impose a high burden on the health care system.…”

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is underdiagnosed and undertreated in São Paulo (Brazil): results of the PLATINO study

“…These results came from the PLATINO Study, which was the first population-based study on the prevalence and impact of COPD in large metropolitan regions of five countries of Latin America (2,3).…”

Fatores associados à Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica em idosos

“…In the study evaluating the prevalence and associated factors which was also conducted in Brazil, the authors highlighted that COPD was positively associated with age and smoking and inversely with a person's body mass index 18 .…”