SURVIVAL EXPERIENCE OF THE POPULATION NEEDING HOSPITAL TREATMENT FOR ASTHMA OR COPD AT AGE 50-54 YEARS

The aim was to evaluate the differences of mortality among asthma and COPD patients on the basis of the first period of hospitalization of t hese diseases. A total of 576 916 treatment periods for asthma and COP D between 1972 and 1992 were identified in the discharge register main tained by the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health. Patients aged 50-54 years first treated in hospital in 1977 o r later were analysed. There were 6655 new asthma patients of this age , 2727 new COPD patients and 701 new patients in a mixed group (with b oth diagnoses). Mortality up to the end of 1993 was analysed based on mortality and cause of death data provided by the Central Statistical Office of Finland. Estimated cumulative survival after 10 yr was highe r among the asthma patients (83.5% for men and 93.2% for women) and lo wer among the COPD patients (60.1% and 78.0%) and in the mixed group ( 62.5% and 74.4%). The main cause of death among the asthmatics was ast hma in 12.1% of cases, that among the COPD patients was COPD in 22.1% of cases and that in the mixed group was one or other of these disease s in 39.1% of cases. The prognosis for COPD patients aged 50-54 years requiring hospital treatment is poor. Combination of the data availabl e from the cause of death and hospital discharge registers indicates t hat obstructive pulmonary diseases may well be of more significance fr om a public health point of view than the mortality statistics would l ead us to believe. The very first hospitalization for COPD calls for a thorough evaluation of the prospects for active treatment and prevent ion.