International Journal of COPD (Jan 2024)
COPD in Never-Smokers: BOLD Australia Study
Abstract
Marsha A Ivey,1,2 Sheree M Smith,3,4 Geza Benke,1 Brett G Toelle,5,6 Michael L Hunter,7 Alan L James,8 Graeme P Maguire,9 Richard Wood-Baker,10 David P Johns,11 Guy B Marks,5,12 Michael J Abramson1 1School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia; 2School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago; 3School of Nursing and Midwifery, Campbelltown Campus, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia; 4Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; 5Respiratory and Environmental Epidemiology Group, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, 2037, Australia; 6Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia; 7School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia; 8Department of Pulmonary Physiology and Sleep Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia; 9Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, WA, 6102, Australia; 10School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia; 11Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; 12School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, AustraliaCorrespondence: Michael J Abramson, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia, Tel +61 3 9903 0573, Fax +61 3 9903 0556, Email [email protected]: Tobacco smoking is the major risk factor for COPD, and it is common for other risk factors in never-smokers to be overlooked. We examined the prevalence of COPD among never-smokers in Australia and identified associated risk factors.Methods: We used data from the Australia Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study, a cross-section of people aged ≥ 40 years from six sites. Participants completed interviews and post-bronchodilator spirometry. COPD was primarily defined as an FEV1/FVC ratio < 0.70 and secondarily as the ratio less than the lower limit of normal (LLN).Results: The prevalence of COPD in the 1656 never-smokers who completed the study was 10.5% (95% CI: 9.1– 12.1%) [ratio