Voluntary lung function screening to reveal new COPD cases in southern Italy

Alberto Capozzolo, Giorgio Castellana, Silvano Dragonieri, Pierluigi Carratù, Vito Liotino, Maria Rosaria Vulpi, Lorenzo Marra, Emanuela Resta, Pierluigi Intiglietta, Onofrio Resta Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Science, Institute of Respiratory Disease, School of Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy Background: Underdiagnosis of COPD is a relevant issue, and most frequently involves patients at early stages of the disease. Physicians do not routinely recommend smokers to undergo spirometry, unless they are symptomatic.Aims: To investigate the effectiveness of voluntary lung function screening in bringing to light patients with previously unknown COPD and to evaluate the relationships among symptoms, smoking status, and airway obstruction.Methods: A voluntary screening study for COPD was conducted during two editions of the annual Fiera del Levante (2014 and 2015), an international trade fair in Bari. Subjects were eligible for the study if they fulfilled the following inclusion criteria: age ≥35 years, smoker/ex-smoker ≥5 pack-years (PYs), or at least one chronic respiratory symptom (cough, sputum production, shortness of breath, and wheezing). A free post-β2-agonist spirometry test was performed by trained physicians for each participant using portable spirometers. Post-β2-agonist forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1):forced vital capacity ratio