Evaluation of COPD phenotypes in The Southeast Anatolia region

Introduction and Aim: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a chronic, progressive, but preventable and treatable disease associated with an increased chronic inflammatory response of the lungs and airways to harmful particles and gases and progressing with irreversible airway limitation. There are phenotypes of COPD called chronic bronchitis, emphysema, bronchiectasis and Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. In our study, it is aimed to evaluate the COPD phenotypes and risk factors in patients who received treatment in the outpatient clinic of Dicle University, Department of Chest Diseases between 01.01.2019 and 20.02.2021. The data to be obtained at the end of this study will contribute to the literature by presenting data on COPD phenotypes and risk factors in the Southeastern Anatolia Region. Material and Method: In the study, COPD patients aged 40 and over who were hospitalized and applied to the outpatient clinic of Dicle University Faculty of Medicine Hospital, Department of Chest Diseases were retrospectively analyzed. The phenotypes, risk factors, mMRC and CAT scores, and spirometric parameters of the patients included in the study were evaluated. Statistical analyzes of the results obtained in the study were performed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) 22 software. The p˂0.05 value was accepted as the statistical significance level. Results: Of the patients, 81 (81%) were male and 19 (19%) were female. Tobacco exposure was found in 88 (88%) patients, bronchiectasis in 19 (19%) patients, bronchitis in 44 (44%) patients, and emphysema in 51 (51%) patients. While 76 (100%) of 76 patients with Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage B-D had mMRC score ≥2, 4 (16.6%) of 24 patients with GOLD stage A-C had mMRC score ≥2. A statistically significant relationship was found between GOLD stage and mMRC score (p˂0.005). A statistically significant relationship was also found between GOLD stage and CAT score (p˂0.005). While 11 (57.8%) of 19 (19%) female patients included in the study had tobacco exposure, 77 (95%) of 81 (81%) male patients were found to have tobacco exposure. A statistically significant relationship was found between gender and tobacco exposure (p˂0.001). Conclusion: As a result of our study, a significant relationship was found between age and GOLD stage, between GOLD stage and mMRC and CAT scores, and between the presence of emphysema and the mean FEV1 value. In addition, besides tobacco exposure, exposure to harmful particles originating from biomass and agriculture/livestock was found to be high in our region. It was thought that raising the awareness of the society about risk factors and protection from risk factors may help both to decrease the incidence of COPD and to slow down the progression of the disease. KEYWORDS: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, Tobacco Exposure