Question

Gold criteria for very severe COPD

• A. Fev1/Fvc < 70 and Fev1 < 30
• B. Fev1/Fvc < 70 and Fev1 < 70
• C. Fev1/Fvc < 70 and Fev1 < 50
• D. Fev1/Fvc < 70 and Fev1 < 50

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) criteria for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are utilized to classify the severity of the disease based on pulmonary function tests. The criteria focus on two key measures from spirometry: the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and the forced vital capacity (FVC). A decrease in these values indicates obstructed airflow, characteristic of COPD.

To classify COPD as very severe, the following criteria must be met:

• FEV1/FVC < 70%: This indicates that less than 70% of the lung capacity can be exhaled in the first second, showing significant obstructive damage.
• FEV1 < 30%: This means that the FEV1, which is the maximum amount of air a person can forcefully exhale in one second, is reduced to less than 30% of the normal expected value. This severe reduction demonstrates very limited airflow and thus qualifies as GOLD stage 4 or very severe COPD.

Therefore, the correct criteria according to the GOLD classification for very severe COPD is: FEV1/FVC < 70 and FEV1 < 30.