Underdiagnosis and Overdiagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

This Concise Clinical Review published on the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine examines the problem and the prevalence of under-diagnosis and over-diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

COPD is regarded as one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality across the world, yet its proper diagnosis remains a challenge.
Community-based population studies conducted in North and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia collectively suggest that approximately 70% of COPD worldwide may be underdiagnosed. Conversely, other studies have shown that between 30% and 60% of patients with a previous physician diagnosis of COPD do not actually have the disease, and hence they have been overdiagnosed.

This review defines under- and overdiagnosis and explores the prevalence and the burden of under- and overdiagnosis of COPD on both patients and healthcare systems. The review further describes potential solutions to reduce the incidence of under- and overdiagnosis of COPD.

The article details are the following:

- Title: "Underdiagnosis and Overdiagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease"
- Authors: Guazzi M, Bandera F, Ozemek C, Systrom D, Arena R
- Published in: Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2018 Nov 1;198(9):1130-1139

The full study can be purchased at the following link: click here