Risk factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Results of the FARIECE study

Abstract

Introduction: Although smoking is the main risk factor, it is not the only one. Current medical evidence shows that airflow limitation also develops for other reasons. Objective: Our main objective was to determine risk factors which are associated with chronic pulmonary disease, among patients of 40–85 years old at Internal Medicine and Pneumology Departments at the Jose Carrasco Arteaga and Vicente Corral Moscoso Hospitals. Materials and methods: This is a case–control study. Our sample was calculated with a 95% confidence interval, an 80% ratio of statistical power, an odds ratio of 3 and a 10% exposure factor with its lowest frequency; a pairing procedure was applied according to gender and age and subjects entered the study sequentially. Results: In all, 318 patients were evaluated, 106 of whom were cases and 212 controls. Both groups were similar in age and the same gender (P > .05). Males constituted 72.3%, with an average age of 62.4 years (±13.1D.E.). An index of over 20 pack years was a risk factor for COPD (OR: 9.03, 95% CI: 3.76–21.72; P = .000). In the case of biomass fumes, this was an exposure index of over 100 h/year (OR: 9.65, 95% CI: 4.87–19.32, P = .000). Dust exposure, air pollution and a family history of COPD in patients’ parents were not risk factors for COPD. Conclusions: Risk factors for COPD were attributable to smoking and biomass smoke exposure.

Keywords

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Tobacco smoke pollution
• Biomass exposure