GOLD Staging System is Appropriate to Predict Mortality in Older People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract Introduction In the new GOLD classification the reduction of FEV1, expressed as percentage of predicted value (FEV1PP), is considered an important prognostic factor. However, the use of FEV1PP may introduce bias, especially if based on equations derived from populations different from the one under study. We evaluated how well the GOLD classification stratifies the mortality risk when FEV1PP is based on an equation developed in the same population that gave rise to cases, externally developed equations, or as FEV1 divided by cubed height (FEV1/Ht3). Methods We studied 882 participants aged ≥65 years. Bronchial obstruction was defined using a fixed cut-off of 0.7 for FEV1/FVC. Predi…