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The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be diagnosed by spirometry. COPD is confirmed when a patient who has
symptoms that are compatible with COPD is found to have airflow obstruction (post expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/forced
vital capacity (FVC) ratio less than 0.70). However, the FEV1/FVC ratio decreases with age and can create a risk for underdiagnosis
in young patients and overdiagnosis in older patients. Therefore, clear consensus definition of diagnostic criteria for COPD in older
patients is needed.
The staging system using FEV1 alone has been criticized for underestimating the importance of the extrapulmonary manifestation
of COPD in predicting outcome. The BODE (Body mass index, Obstruction, Dyspnea, Exercise capacity) index provides better
prognostic information than the FEV1 alone and can be used to assess therapeutic response. (Korean J Med 77:401-406, 2009) |
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