Resumen

MELGAREJO POMAR, Ingrid Gaby. Tobacco smoking and fire  wood, risk factors for Chronic obstructive Pulmonary Disease “ COPD”  2005-2007. BIOFARBO [online]. 2009, vol.17, n.1, pp. 59-66. ISSN 1813-5363.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), is defined as irreversible bronchial obstruction to airflow. The obstruction is demonstrated by the  reduction of the Forced  Expiratory Volume in a second (FEV₁) and the decrease of the relation forced Expiratory Volume FEV₁/  Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), that is not completely  reversible. Tobacco smoking as well as the combustion of wood and biomass are currently considered risk factors  for COPD. The study is  retrospective and cross sectional, conducted in the Instituto Boliviano de Biologia de Altura (IBBA) in patients attending consultation. The objective is to determine the most important risk factors for COPD. In the years 2005-2007, in 1210 natural histories we found  255 patients with COPD which  is a prevaslence of 21%. In  38% of these patients, we could not establish the risk factor of  COPD. As 2 main risk factors  were found: 17%  wood burning  and 16% tobacco smoking. The results of spirometry revealed the presence of central airway obstruction syndrome with decrease of FEV1 and of the relationship FEV1/FVC in 34% of the patients, the presence of a central and peripheral ventilatory syndrome in another 34%, in 12 % the spirometry was normal. Having found 38% of the patients without apparent risk factors for triggering COPD, encourages us to conduct new research to find other  risk factors, such as environmental and/or  genetic factors. The 12% of normal lung function tests shows that although patients may have symptoms, pulmonary function can still be normal .

Palabras llave : FEV; FEV₁/FVC; spirometry; COPD..