The practice of respiratory disability assessment in a university hospital: The analysis of 136 patients [Bir üniversite hastanesinde solunumsal maluliyet de?erlendirme prati?i: 136 hastani{dotless}n analizi]

Abstract

Introduction: This study, to examine the outcomes of the respiratory disability assessment in our clinic. Materials and Methods: The reports of 136 patients who attended the chest diseases clinic between January 2010 and June 2011 for the assessment of the respiratory disability were examined retrospectively. Results: Of 10.457 patients who presented in 18 months, 136 (1.3%) requested the assessment of the respiratory disability. The patients' average age was 51 ± 12 years and 118 (87%) were male. Farmers constituted 19.8% of the patients and mine and foundry workers 10.7% of the patients. The most frequent symptoms were dyspnea (91.2%) and cough (76.5%). The most frequent radiological pattern was reticular and nodular opacities (38.2%). The workup led to a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 64 patients (47%) and of interstitial pulmonary disease/pneumoconiosis in 19 (14%) patients. No respiratory disease was found in 19 patients. Among 44 (32.4%) patients for whom disability rate was calculated, 8 (18.2%) had an incapacity rate of 60% or higher and 13 had 0%. The disability rates showed positive correlations with age, the duration of the respiratory symptoms and PaCO2 level (respectively r= 0.395, p= 0.008; r= 0.391, p= 0.009; r= 0.790, p< 0.001), and negative correlations with FVC, FEV1 and PaO2 levels (respectively r= -0.681, p< 0.001; r= -0.766, p< 0.001; r= -0.661, p= 0.003). Linear regression analysis showed that high PaCO2 value is a determinant for a high disability rate (r= 0.902, p= 0.014). Furthermore, smokers had higher disability rates than non-smokers (p< 0.001). Conclusion: We believe that new evidence-based guidelines that will resolve the medicolegal and social obscurities are needed.