GOLD Stage and Treatment in COPD: A 500 Patient Point Prevalence Study.

The Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines recommend using a combination of spirometry, symptoms and exacerbation history to classify patients into 4 categories (A, B, C, D) to guide treatment decisions along with a stepwise increase in therapy. Our objectives were to identify the GOLD stage of patients in respiratory outpatient clinics and assess how treatment compares to guideline recommendations. This was a point prevalence study using a convenience sample of 500 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from a single tertiary care outpatient respiratory clinic.