Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease prevalence and associated factors in an urban HIV clinic in a low income country.

Abstract

IntroductionIn the last decade, survival of people living with HIV (PLHIV) has dramatically increased due wide availability of effective antiretroviral therapy. However, PLHIV remain at a comparatively higher risk of non-communicable comorbidities. We sought to determine the burden of COPD and its associations in an urban tertiary HIV clinic in Uganda.Methods and findingsHIV-infected adults attending the Makerere University Joint AIDS program; aged ≥30 years without acute ailments were screened for COPD using study questionnaires and spirometry (post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVCConclusionIn this HIV population, COPD prevalence was low and was associated with previous tuberculosis, self-reported chronic shortness of breath and BMI <21 Kg/m2.