Avaliação comparativa do impacto da doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica (DPOC) entre homens e mulheres com base na global initiative for obstructive lung disease (GOLD)

Abstract

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive disease, characterized mainly by chronic symptoms such as cough, expectoration, and dyspnea, which are due to changes in lung structure and impaired lung function. For a long time, COPD was a disease that mostly affected men and the elderly; however, in recent years its prevalence has been similar in both genders. In addition, studies indicate that females are more vulnerable to smoking-related lung injuries, which are the main cause of COPD. In view of this, the aim of this study was to analyze and compare the manifestation of COPD in males and females, in order to verify the existence of relevant differences based on the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD). To this end, the study was conducted with subjects of both genders with a previous diagnosis of COPD, who answered the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) questionnaire and the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale. We found the presentation of more severe symptoms in females due to a similar flow obstruction, but further research is needed to address the influence of smoking and socioeconomic aspects, including education level.