COPD and asthma: Diagnostic accuracy requires spirometry

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Applied Evidence

COPD and asthma: Diagnostic accuracy requires spirometry

J Fam Pract. 2019 March;68(2):76-81

By

Christina D. Wells, MD

Min J. Joo, MD, MPH

Up to one-third of patients receiving a clinical diagnosis of COPD or asthma have been shown to lack evidence of disease in subsequent lung-function studies.

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PRACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS

› Perform spirometry in all patients with symptoms and risk factors suggestive of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma. B

› Consider having a patient use a peak flow meter to support a diagnosis of asthma if spirometry is unavailable. B

› Consider the possibility of a diagnostic error if COPD or asthma is unresponsive to treatment and the initial diagnosis was made without spirometry. B

Strength of recommendation (SOR)

A Good-quality patient-oriented evidence
B Inconsistent or limited-quality patient-oriented evidence
C Consensus, usual practice, opinion, disease-oriented evidence, case series

References

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A study of diagnostic accuracy in the primary care setting showed that among patients receiving inhaled therapies, most had not received an accurate diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma according to international guidelines.^1,2 Other studies have shown that up to one-third of patients with a diagnosis of asthma³ or COPD⁴ may not actually have disease based on subsequent lung function testing.

Diagnostic error in medicine leads to numerous lost opportunities including the opportunity to: identify chronic conditions that are the true sources of patients’ symptoms, prevent morbidity and mortality, reduce unnecessary costs to patients and health systems, and deliver high-quality care.^5-7 The reasons for diagnostic error in COPD and asthma are multifactorial, stemming from insufficient knowledge of clinical practice guidelines and underutilization of spirometry testing. Spirometry is recommended as part of the workup for suspected COPD and is the preferred test for diagnosing asthma. Spirometry, combined with clinical findings, can help differentiate between these diseases.

^{IMAGE © JOE GORMAN}

In this article, we review the definitions and characteristics of COPD and asthma, address the potential causes for diagnostic error, and explain how current clinical practice guidelines can steer examinations to the right diagnosis, improve clinical management, and contribute to better patient outcomes and quality of life.^8,9

COPD and asthma characteristics

COPD. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) defines COPD as a common lung disease characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow obstruction caused by airway or alveolar abnormalities secondary to significant exposure to noxious particles or gases.¹⁰ The most common COPD-risk exposure in the United States is tobacco smoke, chiefly from cigarettes. Risk is also heightened with use of other types of tobacco (pipe, cigar, water pipe), indoor and outdoor air pollution (including second-hand tobacco smoke exposure), and occupational exposures. (Consider testing for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency—a known genetic risk factor for COPD—especially when an individual with COPD is younger and has a limited smoking history.)

If COPD is suspected, perform spirometry to determine the presence of fixed airflow limitation and confirm the diagnosis.

The most common symptom of COPD is chronic, progressive dyspnea — an increased effort to breathe, with chest heaviness, air hunger, or gasping. About one-third of people with COPD have a chronic cough with sputum production.¹⁰ There may be wheezing and chest tightness. Fatigue, weight loss, and anorexia can be seen in severe COPD. Consider this disorder in any individual older than 40 years of age who has dyspnea and chronic cough with sputum production, as well as a history of risk factors. If COPD is suspected, perform spirometry to determine the presence of fixed airflow limitation and confirm the diagnosis.

Asthma is usually characterized by variable airway hyperresponsiveness and chronic inflammation. A typical clinical presentation is an individual with a history of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and cough that vary in intensity over time and are coupled with variable expiratory flow limitation. Asthma symptoms are often triggered by allergen or irritant exposure, exercise, weather changes, or viral respiratory infections.² Symptoms may also be worse at night or first thing in the morning. Once asthma is suspected, document the presence of airflow variability with spirometry to confirm the diagnosis.

Diagnostic error in suspected COPD and asthma

Numerous studies have demonstrated the prevalence of diagnostic error when testing of lung function is neglected.^11-14Using spirometry to confirm a prior clinical diagnosis of COPD, researchers found that:

35% to 50% of patients did not have objective evidence of COPD^12,13;
37% with an asthma-only diagnosis had persistent obstruction, which may indicate COPD or chronic obstructive asthma¹²; and
31% of patients thought to have asthma-COPD overlap did not have a COPD component.¹²

Continue to: In 2 longitudinal studies...