Objectives The GOLD 2011 Strategy now recommends assessment based on exacerbation history and symptoms in addition to airflow limitation. Our goal was to better understand this classification system by analysing the distribution of patients across the 4 groups, their treatment and comorbidities in a real-world population.

Methods GOLD 2011 criteria were applied to a German COPD population sampled from the Adelphi Respiratory Disease Specific Programme undertaken in 2011. Patients were recruited from consulting primary and specialist physicians. Chi-squared tests were performed.

Results 507 patients had a FEV1 value and/or exacerbation history and COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score. 10.5% of patients scored 0–9 using CAT, resulting in an uneven distribution of patients in groups A-D, 7.7, 49.9, 2.8 and 39.6% respectively. Using mMRC the distribution of patients in groups A-D was 35.1, 20.9, 19.1, and 24.9%. Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy was prescribed to 51.3, 57.9 and 42.7% of group A, B and D patients, respectively. Cardiovascular disease (51.3, 68.0, 75.2% [p=0.02]), diabetes (6.5, 17.8, 18.9% [p=0.20]) and obesity (0, 12.6, 16.8% [p=0.04]) increased across groups A, B and D respectively. Due to low numbers, group C was excluded from the comparison analysis.

Conclusion 2.8% of patients qualified as high risk/low symptoms suggesting this patient type is rare based on a CAT evaluation, using mMRC this proportion was 19.1%. An education gap exists regarding the appropriate use of ICS given the high proportion of treated low risk patients. CV and metabolic comorbidities are more prevalent with increasing risk/symptoms so a holistic approach may be necessary, especially for group D patients.