Asthma–COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS) in primary care of four Latin America countries: the PUMA study

BACKGROUND: Asthma–COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS) prevalence varies depending on the studied population and definition criteria. The prevalence and clinical characteristics of ACOS in an at-risk COPD primary care population from Latin America was assessed. METHODS: Patients ≥40 years, current/ex-smokers and/or exposed to biomass, attending routine primary care visits completed a questionnaire and performed spirometry. COPD was defined as post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity (FEV(1)/FVC) < 0.70; asthma was defined as either prior asthma diagnosis or wheezing in the last 12 months plus reversibility (increase in post-bronchodilator FEV(1) or FVC ≥200 mL and ≥12%); ACOS was defined using a combination of COPD with the two asthma definitions. Exacerbations in the past year among the subgroups were evaluated. RESULTS: One thousand seven hundred forty three individuals completed the questionnaire, 1540 performed acceptable spirometry, 309 had COPD, 231 had prior asthma diagnosis, and 78 asthma by wheezing + reversibility. ACOS prevalence in the total population (by post-bronchodilator FEV(1)/FVC < 0.70 plus asthma diagnosis) was 5.3 and 2.3% by post-bronchodilator FEV(1)/FVC < 0.70 plus wheezing + reversibility. In the obstructive population (asthma or COPD), prevalence rises to 17.9 and 9.9% by each definition, and to 26.5 and 11.3% in the COPD population. ACOS patients defined by post-bronchodilator FEV(1)/FVC < 0.7 plus wheezing + reversibility had the lowest lung function measurements. Exacerbations for ACOS showed a prevalence ratio of 2.68 and 2.20 (crude and adjusted, p < 0.05, respectively) (reference COPD). CONCLUSIONS: ACOS prevalence in primary care varied according to definition used. ACOS by post-bronchodilator FEV(1)/FVC < 0.7 plus wheezing + reversibility represents a clinical phenotype with more frequent exacerbations, which is probably associated with a different management approach. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12890-017-0414-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.