European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) is known by many names in many countries and a universal consensus has not yet been reached on this subject regarding its definite clinical pattern and diagnosis. However, the GINA and GOLD committees have together established a guideline, by which a clinician can arrive at a diagnosis of Asthma-COPD overlap syndrome ^1,2.
Aim/Objectives: Assessment of patients diagnosed to have Asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) fulfilling current criteria for ACO.
Materials and Methods: The study was a Cross-sectional study done in Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of Medical Sciences, Karimnagar, Telangana. From November 2019 to May 2021 and 107 patients were included in the study.
Results: Of the 65 pre-study asthma patients, only 62 (96%) confirmed as asthmatics, 1 (1.7%) as COPD and 2(2.3%) were confirmed to be ACO. Likewise of the 35, pre-study diagnosis of COPD patients, only 20 (58%) confirmed as COPD, 9 (25%) confirmed as Asthma patients and 6 (17%) confirmed ACO patients. There were 7 ACO patients however only 1 of them was confirmed to be ACO, 5 confirmed as Asthma and 1 confirmed to be COPD.
Conclusion: The prevalence of ACO was established in the study population; 17.2% from COPD and 2.8% from Asthma. Overall, it was 5.4% of all obstructive airway diseases, obtained from our study population.