Differences in diagnostic patterns of obstructive airway disease between areas and sex in Sweden and Finland-the Nordic EpiLung study

• Published in: Journal of Asthma
• Main Authors: Axelsson, Malin, Ilmarinen, Pinja, Backman, Helena, Ekerljung, Linda, Hedman, Linnea, Langhammer, Arnulf, Lindberg, Anne, Lindqvist, Ari, Nwaru, Bright I., Pallasaho, Paula, Sovijärvi, Anssi, Vähätalo, Iida, Kankaanranta, Hannu, Hisinger-Mölkänen, Hanna, Piirilä, Päivi, Ronmark, Eva
• Other Authors: HUS Heart and Lung Center, Department of Medicine, Keuhkosairauksien yksikkö, University of Helsinki, HUS Shared Group Services, HUS Medical Imaging Center, Department of Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Clinicum
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Informa Healthcare 2023
• Subjects: Asthma; COPD; chronic bronchitis; epidemiology; diagnostic practices; obstructive lung disease; respiratory symptoms; sex differences; PRIMARY-CARE; CHRONIC-BRONCHITIS; LUNG-DISEASE; ASTHMA PREVALENCE; COPD PREVALENCE; NORTHERN SWEDEN; INCREASE; HELSINKI; HEALTH; General medicine; internal medicine and other clinical medicine; Northern Sweden; Norrbotten
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10138/353192

Objective:To investigate the current prevalence of physician-diagnosed obstructive airway diseases by respiratory symptoms and by sex in Sweden and Finland. Method:In 2016, a postal questionnaire was answered by 34,072 randomly selected adults in four study areas: Vastra Gotaland and Norrbotten in Sweden, and Seinajoki-Vaasa and Helsinki in Finland. Results:The prevalence of asthma symptoms was higher in Norrbotten (13.2%), Seinajoki-Vaasa (14.8%) and Helsinki (14.4%) than in Vastra Gotaland (10.7%), and physician-diagnosed asthma was highest in Norrbotten (13.0%) and least in Vastra Gotaland (10.1%). Chronic productive cough was most common in the Finnish areas (7.7-8.2% versus 6.3-6.7%) while the prevalence of physician-diagnosed chronic bronchitis (CB) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) varied between 1.7 and 2.7% in the four areas. Among individuals with respiratory symptoms, the prevalence of asthma was most common in Norrbotten, while a diagnosis of COPD or CB was most common in Vastra Gotaland and Seinajoki-Vaasa. More women than men with respiratory symptoms reported a diagnosis of asthma in Sweden and Seinajoki-Vaasa but there were no sex differences in Helsinki. In Sweden, more women than men with symptoms of cough or phlegm reported a diagnosis of CB or COPD, while in Finland the opposite was found. Conclusion:The prevalence of respiratory symptoms and corresponding diagnoses varied between and within the countries. The proportion reporting a diagnosis of obstructive airway disease among individuals with respiratory symptoms varied, indicating differences in diagnostic patterns both between areas and by sex. Peer reviewed