Pattern of Respiratory Diseases and Comorbidities in Patients Attending Casualty Department

Abstract

Background: The common causes of respiratory emergencies include pneumonias, acute severe asthma, acute exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary diseases (COPD), TB, lung cancers, pneumothorax, pleural effusion, pulmonary embolism and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) from other causes. Aims and Objectives: To study patterns and co-morbidities of respiratory disease in patients attending casualty department. Materials and Methods: This Cross Sectional Study was conducted on 193 patients of Respiratory disease attending emergency department in Medical College and tertiary health care institute. Study was conducted for a period of 2 years (August 2018 to December 2020). Patients were enrolled after matching inclusion and exclusion criteria. Institutional ethics committee permission was taken prior study. Observations and Results: The most common age group amongst study population was 51 to 60 years (39.4%) followed by 61 to 70 years (37.8%) and more than 70 years (19.2%). There was male predominance (76.7%) amongst study population as Most of the study population had normal BMI (55.4%) followed by Underweight (27.5%) and Overweight (13.5%). Most of the study population were Farmer (37.3%) followed by Housewife (23.5%), Labourer (11.8%) and Shopkeeper (9.8%). The most common clinical features amongst study population was Breathlessness (100%) followed by Cough with expectoration (58%) and dry cough (22%). Most of the study population had mMRC Dyspnoea Grade 3 (48.2%) followed by grade 2 (30.1%), grade 4 (11.9%), grade 1 (9.8%). COPD (38%) was the most common respiratory disease amongst study population followed by Pleural effusion (19%), Asthma (15%), Pulmonary TB (11%), Pneumonia (6%), Pneumothorax (4%), ARDS (3%), ILD (2%), Pulmonary embolism (1%) and Swine flu (1%). Diabetes (46%) was the most common comorbidity amongst study population followed by Hypertension (36%), Ischemic Heart Disease (15%), Chronic Liver Disease (11%), Chronic kidney Disease (8%), Pneumonia (6%), Pneumothorax (4%) and Malignancy (2%). Conclusion: In the present study, Diabetes (46%) was the most common comorbidity amongst study population followed by Hypertension (36%), Ischemic Heart Disease (15%), Chronic Liver Disease (11%), Chronic kidney Disease (8%), Pneumonia (6%), Pneumothorax (4%) and Malignancy (2%). This findings was comparable with the study conducted by Sonisha Gupta et al. (2016)41, among these patients 10 (35.7%) were diabetic, 16 (57.1%) hypertensive, 6 (21.4%) had cardiac problem and 17 (60.7%) joint pain.