The disease burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Greece

Figures & data

Figure 1 Sampling strategy of the survey.

Abbreviation: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with COPD in Greece (N=351)

Characteristics	n (%)
Sex (male)	190 (54.1)
Age (years)	65.8±12.8
Geographic area
Urban	293 (84.4)
Semiurban/rural	54 (15.6)
BMI (kg/m^2)
<25 (underweight/normal weight)	106 (30.4)
25.0–29.9 (overweight)	145 (41.7)
≥30.0 (obese)	97 (27.9)
Self-reported comorbidities
No comorbidity	21 (6.0)
Asthma	269 (76.6)
Hypertension	181 (51.6)
Diabetes mellitus	71 (20.2)
COPD duration (years from diagnosis)
<5	135 (38.5)
5–10	104 (29.6)
>10	111 (31.6)
Smoking status
Current smoker	103 (29.3)
Ex-smoker	136 (38.8)
Nonsmoker	111 (31.6)
Mean daily number of cigarettes (for current smokers)
<10	42 (40.8)
10–19	17 (16.5)
≥20	44 (42.7)
Time passed from the cessation of smoking (for former smokers), years
≤5	41 (30.8)
5–10	42 (31.6)
>10	50 (37.6)
Passive smoking (yes)	116±33.0
Live/work in a space with environmental smoke/dust/fumes exposure (yes)	30±8.6

Note: Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation.

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Table 2 Symptoms severity and exacerbations in patients with COPD in Greece (N=351)

COPD symptoms severity and exacerbations	n (%)
mMRC grade
Mild breathlessness (0–1)	171 (50.0)
Moderate breathlessness (2–3)	140 (40.9)
Severe breathlessness (4)	31 (9.1)
CAT score
<10	54 (16.0)
≥10	284 (84.0)
Patients’ perception of COPD severity
Mild	119 (33.9)
Moderate	120 (34.2)
Severe	85 (24.2)
Very severe	26 (7.4)
In the last 12 months, what aspects of your “Respiratory condition” have worsened?
Cough during the daytime	90 (25.6)
Cough during the night	123 (35.0)
Phlegm	111 (31.7)
Breathlessness or shortness of breath and fatigue	148 (42.5)
Ability to perform regular activities	138 (39.4)
At least two of the above symptoms	151 (43.3)
In the last 12 months, have you been told by your physician that:
You have had worsening of your “Respiratory Condition?” (Y)	101 (29.1)
You have had acute bronchitis? (Y)	103 (29.6)
GOLD category
A	48 (14.2)
B	115 (34.1)
C	6 (1.8)
D	168 (49.9)
Exacerbation during the last 12 months
Yes	181 (51.7)
No	169 (48.3)

Abbreviations: CAT, COPD assessment test; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; GOLD, Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; mMRC, modified Medical Research Council.

Table 3 Perceived severity of COPD depending on patient characteristics and severity scores

Patients’ characteristics	Patients’ perceived severity of COPD			P-value
	Very severe/severe (%)	Moderate (%)	Mild (%)
Sex				<0.001
Males	42.4	29.6	28.0
Females	19.3	39.7	41.0
Age group (years)				<0.001
40–49	15.4	25.6	59.0
50–59	13.7	30.0	56.3
60–69	30.2	38.4	31.4
>70	46.9	36.5	16.6
BMI group				0.117
Underweight/normal weight	26.7	33.3	40.0
Overweight	37.2	29.0	33.8
Obese	28.9	42.3	28.8
Smoking status				0.127
Current smoker	27.2	35.9	36.9
Ex-smoker	40.0	31.8	28.2
Nonsmoker	26.1	36.1	37.8
Passive smoking				0.610
Yes	27.8	38.3	33.9
No	32.7	31.9	35.4
Environmental smoke				0.230
Yes	16.6	33.4	50.0
No	34.1	34.1	32.8
Comorbidities				0.314
Any comorbidity	31.3	35.3	33.4
No comorbidity	38.1	19.0	42.9
COPD + asthma				0.140
No	40.2	30.5	29.3
Yes	29.2	35.4	35.4
Years passed since COPD diagnosis				0.001
<5 years from diagnosis	19.4	38.0	42.6
5–10 years from diagnosis	39.4	27.9	32.7
>10 years from diagnosis	39.6	35.2	25.2
CAT score				<0.001
<10	3.7	5.6	90.7
≥10	36.4	40.3	23.3
mMRC grade				<0.001
Mild breathlessness (0–1)	17.5	31.6	50.9
Moderate breathlessness (2–3)	39.5	43.2	17.3
Severe breathlessness (4)	80.6	12.9	6.5
Exacerbations during the past 12 months				<0.001
No exacerbation	14.9	30.3	54.8
Exacerbation	47.5	37.6	14.9
GOLD categorya				<0.001
A	4.2	4.2	91.6
B	19.3	42.1	38.6
D	48.2	38.7	13.1

Notes:

a Only six patients were in GOLD category C, and therefore were excluded. Bold indicates the statistically significant results at a level of 5%.

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; CAT, COPD assessment test; GOLD, Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; mMRC, modified Medical Research Council.

Table 4 The association of COPD patients’ characteristics with the impact of their respiratory condition on work

Patients’ characteristics	In the past year, did you miss any days of work due to COPD?			Did your health problem affect your ability to produce work output in a high-quality or timely manner?
	Yes (%)	No (%)	P-value	Yes (%)	No (%)	P-value
Sex			0.348			0.013
Males	19.8	70.2		52.7	47.3
Females	19.5	80.5		26.8	73.2
Age group (years)			0.020			0.578
40–49	27.6	72.4		44.8	55.2
50–59	15.7	84.3		36.7	63.3
60–69	50.0	50.0		50.0	50.0
BMI group			0.799			0.900
Underweight/normal weight	25.8	74.2		45.2	54.8
Overweight	28.6	71.4		39.0	61.0
Obese	20.0	80.0		41.7	58.3
Smoking status			0.953			0.022
Current smoker	27.7	72.3		39.1	60.9
Ex-smoker	23.5	76.5		57.6	42.4
Nonsmoker	23.5	76.5		17.7	82.4
Exacerbations during the last 12 months			0.007			0.001
No exacerbation	15.9	84.1		29.0	71.0
Exacerbation	42.9	57.1		64.7	35.3
Comorbidities			0.999			0.397
Any comorbidity	25.8	74.2		42.9	57.1
No comorbidity	20.0	80.0		20.0	80.0
Asthma + COPD			0.368			0.144
No	16.7	83.3		16.7	83.3
Yes	29.1	70.9		45.2	54.8
Years passed since COPD diagnosis			0.651			0.895
<5 years since diagnosis	24.0	76.0		39.6	60.4
5–10 years since diagnosis	20.8	79.2		45.8	54.2
>10 years since diagnosis	33.3	66.7		41.7	58.3
GOLD categorya			0.029			<0.001
A	13.0	87.0		9.1	90.9
B	17.5	82.5		40.0	60.0
D	41.2	58.8		66.7	33.3

Notes:

a There were only six patients in GOLD category C, and therefore were excluded. Bold indicates the statistically significant results at a level of 5%.

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; GOLD, Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease.

Figure 2 The impact of COPD on patients’ daily activities in Greece.

Abbreviation: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Figure 3 The psychological distress that patients with COPD have was also assessed.

Abbreviation: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.