ABSTRACT
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) represents a major health issue in developed countries (1). For instance, we recently estimated from a national health survey conducted in Canada in 1994-95 that approximately 6% of the population aged 55 years has been diagnosed with either chronic bronchitis or emphysema by a health professional (2). COPD is so prevalent that the widespread application of any treatment modality, endorsed or not by an official organization, may have an appreciable impact on health resources use in the community.
