Clinical-Epidemiological Profile of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Treated at the Pneumology Outpatient Clinic of a Brazilian University Hospital

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a significant illness that affects many Brazilians. It is a complex and extremely prevalent disease, and thus, understanding the clinical-epidemiological profile of the patients afflicted with this disease is of utmost importance for the adequate management of these patients by multidisciplinary teams. Objective The aim of the study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological profile of COPD patients in a specialized outpatient clinic. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. The sample comprised 198 patients who attended a specialized outpatient clinic in 2018. All variables were collected from the patients' medical records. Results The mean age of the patients was 69.56 ± 8.98 years (CI 95%: 68.30 - 70.82). Of the 198 patients, 115 (58.1%) were male, while 83 (41.9%) were female. Of all patients, 158 (79.8%) were active smokers or former smokers. The mean value for the forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) was 53.35% ± 21.22 of the expected value (CI 95%: 49.76 - 56.94). The mean number of comorbidities presented by the patients was 2.51 ± 1.81 (CI 95%: 2.25 - 2.76) and the average number of drugs the patients were taking for COPD was 2.83 ± 1.24 drugs (IC95%: 2.66 - 3.01). Conclusion This study reveals a complex population, with moderate to severe COPD and a high burden of comorbidities. Thereby, it becomes clear that pulmonologists must consider the COPD patient as a whole due to the high prevalence of factors that can worsen the prognosis in this population.