mortality of COPD

COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the US and
Europe.With the increase in cigarette smoking in developing
countries, especially China, COPD is expected to become the
third leading cause of death worldwide by 2020. During 2003,
about 26 000 people died from COPD in the UK, accounting
for 4.9% of all deaths, with 14 000 of these deaths occurring in
men and 12 000 in women. These represent 5.4% of all male
deaths and 4.2% of all female deaths.
In the UK over the past 30 years, mortality from COPD has
fallen in men and risen in women, and the sex difference in
COPD deaths will probably disappear in the near future. In the
US, mortality from COPD in women has also risen substantially,
from 20.1 to 56.7 per 100 000 between 1980 and 2000, while in
men the increase has been more modest, from 73.0 to 82.6 per
100 000. In 2000, for the first time, more women than men died
from COPD (59 936 v 59 118). Mortality increases with age,
disease severity, and socioeconomic disadvantage. On average,
COPD reduces life expectancy by 1.8 years in the UK (76.5 v
78.3 years for controls)—mild disease reducing it by 1.1 years,
moderate disease by 1.7 years, and severe disease by 4.1 years.