| Summary: | Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is common. The estimated prevalence is about 10% among adults, but varies largely dependent on the major risk factors age and smoking. Under-diagnosis of COPD is substantial and is related to disease severity. Thus, subjects with mild to moderate COPD are underrepresented in medical registers among health care providers as well as in national registers. Post- bronchodilator (BD) spirometry is mandatory for the diagnosis of COPD, but not sufficient to assess and manage COPD. Phenotyping based on spirometry and clinical manifestations can make it easier to apply individual assessment of subjects with COPD. COPD is a systemic disease with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary manifestations and comorbidities are common. Comorbidities most probably contribute to the observed increased mortality among subjects with COPD, however, the impact of comorbidities on mortality and causes of death among subjects with mild to moderate COPD is unclear. Furthermore, there seems to be sex-dependent differences with regard to susceptibility to risk factors, clinical manifestation and outcomes. Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to identify and characterize clinical relevant COPD phenotypes in population-based studies, using spirometry together with clinical characteristics such as respiratory symptoms, exacerbations, and comorbidities, and their impact on mortality and further, also cause of death. Methods: This thesis is based on data from the Obstructive Lung Disease in Northern Sweden (OLIN) COPD study. The study population was recruited in the years 2002-2004, when all 993 individuals with (FEV1/VC<0.70) were identified after examinations of population-based cohorts, together with age- and sex-matched non-obstructive referents (n=in total 1,986). In this thesis, cross-sectional data from recruitment were used together with mortality data from the Swedish Tax Agency from the date of recruitment in 2002-2004 and onwards. Data on cause of death was collected from the ...
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