Screening Heroin Smokers Attending Community Drug Clinics for Change in Lung Function: A Cohort Study.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Heroin smokers have high rates of COPD, respiratory morbidity, hospital admission, and mortality. We assessed the natural history of symptoms and lung function in this population over time. METHODS:A cohort of heroin smokers with COPD was followed for 18 to 24 months. At baseline and follow-up, respiratory symptoms were measured by the Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (MRC) and the COPD Assessment Tool (CAT), and postbronchodilator spirometry was performed. Frequency of health-care-seeking episodes was extracted from routine health records. Parametric, nonparametric, and linear regression models were used to analyze the change in symptoms and lung function over time. RESULTS:Of 372 participants originally recruited, 161 were assessed at follow-up (mean age, 51.0 ± 5.3 year

SUBMITTER: Nightingale R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7078587 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature