Relationship between incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer as comorbidity in primary health care in two Belgrade communities.

Purpose: To investigate the recent trends in the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer as comorbidity in primary health care (Community Health Center, Zemun, Belgrade, which covers two municipalities -Surchin and Zemun), during the period 2014-2017. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the incidence of COPD and lung cancer as comorbidity in a 4-year period. Data were derived from the Heliant information system. Descriptive statistics -frequencies and percentages- were used, and differences between groups were tested by x(2) test. Results: The number of patients with COPD was slightly, but insignificantly, higher each consecutive year. Lung cancer as comorbidity appeared in about 11% of these patients. As for gender, male and female patients contributed equally to the number of patients with CORD. Conclusion: The number of patients with COPD registered in primary health care was similar in all investigated years. Lung cancer as comorbidity was found in a significantly smaller number of these patients.