Study finds lung disease often missed by doctors

The study was led by Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and
Dentistry and involved almost 39,000 patients over 20 years.  Almost 85 per cent
of COPD cases were overlooked, with failures of detection occurring in both
primary and secondary care.

Clinical Research Fellow Dr. Rupert Jones said: "This was a project which came
from my work with the Department of Health, on the National COPD outcomes
strategy – a stream of work which I have been involved in since 2005. We became
acutely aware that many people were being diagnosed with COPD, a progressive and
disabling lung disease, at a late stage when the damage done was severe and
irreversible. Thus we wanted to examine the opportunities arising in primary
care in order to diagnose COPD at an earlier stage and improve health outcomes,
with potential to extend life expectancy and quality of life for patients."

In the five years before diagnosis, 85 per cent of patients visited their GPs
with lower respiratory symptoms without a COPD diagnosis being made. Over the 20
year study period, there was an increase in the number of X-rays in the two
years before diagnosis, but only a third of these patients were given spirometry
testing.

An estimated 2.2 million people in the UK suffer from undiagnosed COPD. Earlier
diagnosis than treatment could save the NHS £1 billion over ten years according
to the Department of Health.

Dr Jones said: "The numbers are large, both in terms of people affected and the
cost to already stretched NHS provision of care. We believe that the results of
our study provide clear support to the argument for improved identification and
diagnosis of COPD in general practice, with greater awareness so that early
opportunities to diagnose – such as presentation with lower respiratory tract
symptoms or related conditions – are seized and acted upon."

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