Question:medium
According to the GOLD criteria, very severe COPD is defined by which of the following?
According to the GOLD criteria, very severe COPD is defined by which of the following?
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Very severe (Stage IV) sits at the lowest FEV1 percent predicted threshold.
Updated On: Jun 23, 2026
- FEV1/FVC <70 and FEV1 < 30
- FEV1/FVC <70 and FEV1 < 70
- FEV1/FVC <70 and FEV1 < 50
- Both A and C
Show Solution
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Start from the gate-keeping number. To call airflow obstruction COPD at all, the post-bronchodilator $FEV_1/FVC$ must be under $0.70$; this applies to every stage equally.
Step 2: Rank the stages by how low $FEV_1$ percent predicted falls. The most extreme grade, Stage IV or very severe, sits at $FEV_1 < 30\%$ predicted.
Step 3: Test the options against that benchmark. Only the choice pairing $FEV_1/FVC < 70$ with $FEV_1 < 30$ lands in the very severe band.
Step 4: The other thresholds describe milder grades - $FEV_1 < 70$ is mild/moderate and $FEV_1 < 50$ is severe (Stage III). Therefore the very severe definition is the first option.
\[\boxed{FEV_1/FVC < 70\ \text{and}\ FEV_1 < 30}\]
Step 2: Rank the stages by how low $FEV_1$ percent predicted falls. The most extreme grade, Stage IV or very severe, sits at $FEV_1 < 30\%$ predicted.
Step 3: Test the options against that benchmark. Only the choice pairing $FEV_1/FVC < 70$ with $FEV_1 < 30$ lands in the very severe band.
Step 4: The other thresholds describe milder grades - $FEV_1 < 70$ is mild/moderate and $FEV_1 < 50$ is severe (Stage III). Therefore the very severe definition is the first option.
\[\boxed{FEV_1/FVC < 70\ \text{and}\ FEV_1 < 30}\]
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