Table 1

Patient characteristics (n = 792).

	n (%)
Mean ±SD in years	57.3±16.2

Sex
Male	423 (53)
Female	369 (47)

Prior diagnoses
Malignancy (various locations n = 29; lung n = 9)	38 (5)
Cardiovascular	95 (12)
Pneumonia	76 (10)
COPD/asthma/chronic bronchitis	143 (18)

History taking
Smoking	142 (18)
Pain	172 (22)
Respiratory complaints
Haemoptysis	53 (7)
Cough	394 (50)
Dyspnoea	199 (25)
Other symptoms of respiratory infection^a	117 (15)
General complaints
Weight loss	31 (4)
Fever	53 (7)
General malaise	101 (13)

Abnormalities during physical examination^b	317 (40)

Suspected diagnosis pneumonia according to GP	193 (24)

Suspected diagnosis malignancy according to GP	142 (18)

↵a Abnormal sputum, nasal congestion, throat symptoms, and complaints of a cold.
↵b A physical examination was considered abnormal when abnormalities were detected with auscultation (such as wheeze), percussion (such as dullness), or palpation (such as pain). SD = standard deviation.