World No-Tobacco Day: Smoking fuels anxiety, diabetes in COPD patients in Kashmir

Srinagar: A new study has revealed that diseases like hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, and anxiety are significantly higher in patients suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in Kashmir.

COPD is a chronic inflammatory lung disease marked by restricted airflow, which is a result of continuous and consistent use of tobacco smoke or exposure of the respiratory tract to noxious stimuli or recurrent childhood respiratory tract infection. COPD symptoms include wheezing, chest tightness, breathing difficulties, chronic cough, respiratory infections, fatigue, unintentional weight loss, and swelling of the legs, feet, and ankles.

Entitled, “Prevalence of Comorbidities among COPD Patients: A Comparative Case-Control Study in Kashmir,” the study was published in August 2022 in the International Journal of Research and Review.

A total of 400 patients from Srinagar city were evaluated for the study.

The findings revealed that the majority of the COPD patients comprising 33.8 percent, belonged to the age group of 40 to 50 years. Following closely behind, 31.1 percent fell within the age bracket of 61 to 70 years.

According to the study among COPD patients, the most prevalent comorbidities were hypertension, affecting 56.7 percent of individuals, followed by osteoporosis (brittle bones) at 41 percent, anxiety at 32.4 percent, diabetes at 24.3 percent, and HTN CVD (High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease) at 22.9 percent.

A senior doctor at SKIMS, Soura told The Kashmir Monitor that regarding the extent of COPD in Kashmir; it is considered one of the areas with a high number of cases in the country and the world.

“Some studies conducted in the past decade have shown that the prevalence of COPD in this region is estimated to be between 15% and 18%. A well-known international study called BOLD (Burden of Lung Diseases), in which the General Medicine department at SKIMS also participated, was published in the renowned journal THORAX. It revealed that the prevalence of COPD in this part of the world is around 17.3%,” the doctor said.

He added that to get a more accurate understanding of the disease’s impact, larger studies are needed.

The health expert said COPD typically affects people in late middle age and the elderly. However, recently there has been a shift towards younger age groups. “This change is likely due to increased air pollution, exposure to fumes from burning fuels, and other factors related to occupation. In addition to smoking and exposure to biomass fuel, poverty, and poor socioeconomic conditions also contribute to the causes and outcomes of the disease.”

The doctor stated that due to its high prevalence, many households and neighborhoods have individuals affected by COPD. “While people are aware of the disease, it is crucial to emphasize the importance of proper treatment and follow-up. Unfortunately, many patients are in advanced stages of the disease and require oxygen support at home, which they cannot afford due to their poor financial situation, resulting in poorer outcomes,” he said.