Is the unclassifiable obstructive airway more similar to asthma than COPD

Background: We postulate that unclassifiable obstructive airway disease (OAD) is either asthma with loss of reversibility or COPD acquiring reversibility Objective: The aim of the research is to identify both asthma and COPD from clinical variables and apply the lessons to understand unclassifiable situations. Method: Patients of OAD were randomly selected from the record of the out-patient department of the institute. Asthma and COPD were identified based on the definition by GOLD-GINA 2017. A questionnaire-based response regarding their clinical symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, expectoration, chest pain, wheeze, hemoptysis, and systemic symptoms), and history regarding (asthma, seasonal variation, responsiveness to steroid, exacerbations, the suggestion of allergic rhinitis, skin allergy and eczema) were collected in Likert scale. Univariate and multivariate analyses were made to distinguish the difference between the two and also to appreciate the unclassifiable (overlap) state. Results: We had 201, 207, and 118 patients of Asthma, COPD, and possible overlap. COPD and asthma are clearly discernable. COPD and ACO are distinctly different in severity of wheeze (p Conclusion: The differentiation between asthma and ACO is possible and their overlap is discernable from COPD.