Diagnostic labels applied to model case histories of chronic airflow obstruction. Responses to a questionnaire in 11 North American and Western European countries

In Canada, USA and 9 Western European Countries, 121 respiratory physicians responded to an English language questionnaire asking them to state how they would investigate, treat and label four model patients, chosen to represent well-recognized patterns of clinical features of chronic airflow obstruction. Selection of further investigations appeared to be determined more by the probable diagnostic label than by the need to define selected characteristics in the whole range of such patients. Differences in recommended treatment between countries were less than others have reported for the treatment of asthma. Analysis of the diagnostic labels showed: the classic terms asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema still predominated in clinical practice and were considered to be better defined entities than any of the many terms introduced to describe chronic airflow obstruction in the last 30 yrs; the term chronic bronchitis was a source of confusion unless qualified to indicate presence or absence of obstruction; the use of combination terms such as chronic asthmatic bronchitis and chronic obstructive bronchitis showed large differences between countries; there were few differences related to national language. The implications of these findings are discussed.

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