Prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Adults Aged 40 Years and Older in China From 2014 to 2024: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) imposed a heavy disease burden on China. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of COPD in adults aged 40 years and older in China through a systematic review and meta-analysis. A web-based search of 11 databases (including PubMed and Web of Science) from January 2014 to September 2024, using specified search/MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms and keywords, was conducted. A total of 92 studies (39 320 patients) were included. The combined prevalence of COPD in Chinese adults aged 40 years and older from 2014 to 2024 was 12.1% (11.3%-13.0%). Subgroup analysis showed that the prevalence was higher in males (16.4%, 15.2%-17.6%) than in females (8.4%, 7.5%-9.3%). The lowest prevalence was 4.8% in the age group of 40 to 49 years and 23.7% in the age group of over 70 years. The prevalence was highest in patients with a BMI of less than 18.5 kg/m2 (22.4%) and decreased with increasing BMI. The prevalence was highest in Northwestern China (13.9%) and lowest in Southern China (9.2%), and was higher in rural residents (13.7%) than urban residents (11.1%). The prevalence was higher among current smokers (18.7%) and former smokers (18.7%) than among non-smokers (7.9%).