Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a major public health problem. It is the fourth leading cause of chronic morbidity and mortality in the United States, and is projected to rank fifth in 2020 in burden of disease caused worldwide. Objective: To research the epidemiology of COPD in the population of Bac Giang city and finding out the risk factors of COPD. Subjects and method: Cross-sectional survey of general population sample of 2,104 men and women with the age \ufffd?0 years in 30 wards of 11 communes of Bac Giang city. Data on respiratory symptoms, diseases, and risk factors were collected. Lung function tests were performed with Spiroanalyzer snoo, Japan. Results and conclusions: The incidence of COPD was 2.3%; in men 3.0% and in women 1.7%. The incidence of simple chronic bronchitis was 6.4%. People who smoked had higher rate of COPD than the others (OR = 2.8). The incidence of smoking in COPD was 55.9%. The three most important risk factors of COPD was the age \ufffd?0; smoking >15 pack/year and medical history of asthma.
Pulmonary Disease ; Chronic Obstructive/ epidemiology

Background: Bronchoscopy is an essential technique for diagnosis of some lung diseases by taking samples for histological and cytological tests. Objective: To assess the role of transbronchial lung biopsy procedure in diagnosis some parenchymal pulmonary diseases. Subjects and method: A retrospective study conducted in 50 patients with diffuse and localized lung diseases, who were admitted to the Department of Respiratory in Bach Mai Hospital, from January 2003 to December 2005. Results: Transbronchial lung biopsy confirmed the diagnosis in 30 of 50 (60%) cases; with localized malignant lesions (12%), diffuse lung disease (16%), tuberculosis (28%), and cystic fibrosis (4%). Following transbronchial lung biopsy, two patients had pneumothorax (1 patient had chest tube drainage) and five patients had hemoptysis but no of them required further treatment. Conclusions: Transbronchial lung biopsy offer good diagnostic accuracy and low complication rate.
Bronchoscopy/ contraindications ; Lung Diseases/ diagnosis