Distribution of COPD phenotypes according to the Spanish COPD guidelines in clinical practice

Background: The Spanish Guidelines for COPD (GesEPOC) describe 4 clinical phenotypes: no exacerbator (NE), mixed asthma-COPD overlap (ACOS), exacerbator with emphysema (EE) and exacerbator with chronic bronchitis (ECB). Aims: To determine the frequency of COPD phenotypes in Spanish clinical practice and the availability of diagnostic tools (DT). Methods: Epidemiological, cross-sectional and multicentre study. Patients ≥40 years with COPD, (FEV 1 /FVC ad-hoc questionnaire. Results: 647 patients [294 Primary Care (PC), 353 Pulmonology (P)], 80.8% male, mean age (SD) of 68.2 (9.2) years, 56.2% (18.9%) post-BC FEV 1 , 0.5 (0.8) exacerbations last year. 47.5% were NE, 29.1% ECB, 17.0% EE, and 6.5% ACOS. Characteristics of the phenotypes are presented in . Investigators reported that>80% of DT were available, with exception of computed tomography (26.9%) and carbon monoxide transfer test (13.5%) in PC, and sputum eosinophilia (40.4% PC and 49.4% P). Conclusions: In clinical practice, most COPD patients were predominantly NE. In general, investigators have the required toolsfor diagnosing COPD phenotypes.