A review of population studies from India to estimate national burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its association with smoking.

An attempt has been made to estimate the gross burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its smoking association by reviewing the population studies available from India. Of the 14 studies which were reviewed, there were 11 conducted in general populations. The median values of different prevalence rates (i.e. 5 percent in male and 2.7 percent in female population) were accepted as the most appropriate figures to calculate the overall estimates. The overall M:F ratio was 1.6:1, i.e. 61.6 percent males. The estimated total number of adult patients aged 30 years and above in 1996 were 8.15 million males and 4.21 million females. The smoker:non-smoker ratio in males was assessed at 82.3 percent with an estimated burden of 6.7 millions. When the prevalence rates of COPD and its smoking associations were assessed in three different time periods (before 1970; between 1971-1990; after 1990), the median rates of 1971-1990, when the maximum number of studies were conducted, were nearly the same as the overall rates. However, the total burden as well as the smoking associated COPD, increased with time due to an increase in the eligible base population. In conclusion, these figures can be used to estimate the burden of COPD and its smoking association in India for different statistical analyses.