NICE should redraw COPD diagnosis guidelines because they are likely causing overdiagnosis in men and underdiagnosis in women, respiratory experts have said.
Dr Mark Levy, a GPSI in respiratory medicine based in Harrow, and Professor Martin Miller, from the University of Birmingham, warn up to 13% of people thought to have COPD may have been misdiagnosed with the condition, while one in eight cases are likely to be missed.
NICE adopted use of a single, ‘pragmatic’ measure of airways obstruction from the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) in 2010, which means people are diagnosed with COPD if they have a post-bronchodilator ratio of FEV1/FVC cut-off of less than 0.7, regardless of any other factors.
More: NICE ‘should modify’ COPD diagnosis guideline | News Article | Pulse Today
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