Use of spirometry and patterns of prescribing in COPD in primary care

Analysis of the quality of e-Consultations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

INTRODUCTION

The quality of e-Consultations in the COPD is unknown. The objectives of this study were (i) to evaluate the quality of referrals; (ii) to define the characteristics of patients referred from Primary Care (PC) to the Unit of Pulmonology; and (iii) to describe differences between accepted and rejected patients.

METHODS

A retrospective, observational study of e-Consultations requested by PC for suspected COPD throughout 2022. To quantify the quality of the e-Consultations, an arbitrary scale of 12 variables (score 0-10) was created.

RESULTS

In total, 384 e-Consultations were reviewed, of which 167 (43.5 %) resulted in a face-to-face visit, and 217 (56.5 %) were rejected. No differences were observed between the two types of patients, except for confirmations of diagnostic suspicion of COPD [significantly higher in accepted patients (p = 0.042)]; physical examination data of rejected patients (more data provided; p = 0.015); and lung function (significantly better in rejected patients). The mean quality of referrals was acceptable (5.6 ± 2.1 score): 121 (31.3 %) had insufficient quality; 118 (30.5 %) acceptable; 75 (19.4 %) good, and 30 (7.8 %) excellent. Quality was low in half of the variables analyzed (6/12); acceptable in 3, and good in another 3. The capacity of resolution of referrals was good (one e-Consultation) in 199 requests (66.1 %); deficient (two e-Consultations) in 72 (23.9 %), and poor (≥3 e-Consultations) in 30 (10 %). Overdiagnosis was 40.2 % (86/214 e-Consultations). The risk could be classified in 247 patients (64.3 %; 135 low-risk; 90 high-risk).

CONCLUSIONS

When adequate information is provided, e-Consultations help identify different levels of severity. However, the quality and capacity of resolution of referrals were suboptimal, with a high percentage of overdiagnoses.

An explainable artificial intelligence framework for risk prediction of COPD in smokers

BACKGROUND

Since the inconspicuous nature of early signs associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), individuals often remain unidentified, leading to suboptimal opportunities for timely prevention and treatment. The purpose of this study was to create an explainable artificial intelligence framework combining data preprocessing methods, machine learning methods, and model interpretability methods to identify people at high risk of COPD in the smoking population and to provide a reasonable interpretation of model predictions.

METHODS

The data comprised questionnaire information, physical examination data and results of pulmonary function tests before and after bronchodilatation. First, the factorial analysis for mixed data (FAMD), Boruta and NRSBoundary-SMOTE resampling methods were used to solve the missing data, high dimensionality and category imbalance problems. Then, seven classification models (CatBoost, NGBoost, XGBoost, LightGBM, random forest, SVM and logistic regression) were applied to model the risk level, and the best machine learning (ML) model's decisions were explained using the Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) method and partial dependence plot (PDP).

RESULTS

In the smoking population, age and 14 other variables were significant factors for predicting COPD. The CatBoost, random forest, and logistic regression models performed reasonably well in unbalanced datasets. CatBoost with NRSBoundary-SMOTE had the best classification performance in balanced datasets when composite indicators (the AUC, F1-score, and G-mean) were used as model comparison criteria. Age, COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, gross annual income, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), anhelation, respiratory disease, central obesity, use of polluting fuel for household heating, region, use of polluting fuel for household cooking, and wheezing were important factors for predicting COPD in the smoking population.

CONCLUSION

This study combined feature screening methods, unbalanced data processing methods, and advanced machine learning methods to enable early identification of COPD risk groups in the smoking population. COPD risk factors in the smoking population were identified using SHAP and PDP, with the goal of providing theoretical support for targeted screening strategies and smoking population self-management strategies.

Identifying airway obstruction in primary care: is there a role for physiotherapists?

AIMS

To examine the implementation of a physiotherapist-driven spirometry case finding service in primary care to identify new cases of COPD and confirm diagnosis of existing cases of COPD.

METHODS

Four general practices were recruited. 'At risk' participants (aged ≥ 40 years, current/ex-smoker) and people with 'existing' COPD were identified from practice databases and invited to attend an assessment with a cardiorespiratory physiotherapist in each general practice. The physiotherapist performed pre/post-bronchodilator spirometry to identify or confirm a diagnosis of COPD (FEV1/FVC < 0.7). Outcome measures included number (%) of new cases of COPD, number (%) confirmed diagnosis of COPD and number (%) of high quality spirometry assessments with accurate interpretation.

RESULTS

One hundred forty eight participants (mean age 70 years (SD 11.1), 57% female) attended a baseline assessment (117 'at risk', 31'existing' COPD) from 748 people invited. Physiotherapists performed 145 pre/post bronchodilator spirometry assessments. Obstruction on post-bronchodilator spirometry was confirmed in 17% (19/114) of 'at risk' and 77% (24/31) of 'existing' COPD. Majority of cases were classified as GOLD Stage II (63%, n = 27). Quality of pre/post bronchodilator spirometries for FEV1 were classified as A (68%), B (19%) and C (5%).

CONCLUSION

Physiotherapists integrated into primary care performed high quality spirometry testing, successfully case finding 'at risk' patients and identifying potential misdiagnosis of obstruction in some 'existing' COPD cases.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ANZCTR, ACTRN12619001127190. Registered 12 August 2019 - Retrospectively registered, http://www.ANZCTR.org.au/ACTRN12619001127190.aspx.

Design of the Reducing Diagnostic Error to Improve Patient Safety (REDEfINE) in COPD and asthma study: A cluster randomized comparative effectiveness trial

Although spirometry is a simple, portable test and recommended for the diagnosis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), it is not routinely used in the primary care setting. Minorities and underserved populations are less likely to have spirometry assessment, leading to both over and misdiagnosis of asthma and COPD. Because dyspnea is a common symptom across multiple diseases, use of spirometry as a diagnostic tool is important. Missed, delayed, or misdiagnosis of asthma and COPD, which are considered diagnostic errors (DE), can lead to poor quality of care, increased morbidity and mortality, and increased costs to patients and health systems. Barriers to the use of spirometry have been identified at clinician/clinic and health systems levels. The REDEFINE program is designed to overcome identified barriers to spirometry use in primary care by utilizing health promoters (HPs) who perform spirometry within primary care clinics and work collaboratively with clinicians to incorporate the results at the point of care without interrupting clinic workflow. The REDEFINE trial is a comparative effectiveness study comparing outcomes of the REDEFINE program with usual care (UC) in primary care patients determined to be at increased risk of DE for asthma and COPD. The primary outcome will be all-cause hospitalizations. The secondary outcomes will be the proportion of accurate diagnosis of COPD, asthma, or asthma-COPD overlap based on initial diagnosis and spirometry and all cause and respiratory-related acute outpatient care and emergency department visits. In this report, we describe the design and methods for the REDEFINE trial. Trial registration: NCT03137303https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03137303?term=REDEFINE&draw=2&rank=1.

Accuracy of the COPD diagnostic questionnaire as a screening tool in primary care

BACKGROUND

The COPD Diagnostic Questionnaire (CDQ) was developed to identify people who would benefit from spirometry testing to confirm Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of a cut-off score of 16.5 on the CDQ in identifying those at increased risk of obstruction, in a mixed population of people 'at risk' of COPD and those with an 'existing' COPD diagnosis.

METHODS

People 'at risk' of COPD (aged > 40 years, current/ex-smoker) and those with 'existing' COPD were identified from four general practices and invited to participate. Participants completed the CDQ and those with a CDQ score ≥ 16.5 were categorised as having intermediate to increased likelihood of airflow obstruction. Pre and post-bronchodilator spirometry determined the presence of airway obstruction (FEV1/FVC ratio < 0.7). Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the CDQ was determined compared to spirometry as the gold standard.

RESULTS

One hundred forty-one participants attended an initial assessment ('at risk' = 111 (79%), 'existing' COPD = 30 (21%)). A cut-off score of 16.5 corresponded to a sensitivity of 81%, specificity of 36% and accuracy of 50%, in the entire mixed population. The area under the ROC curve was 0.59 ± 0.50 indicating low diagnostic accuracy of the CDQ. Similar results were found in the 'existing' COPD group alone.

CONCLUSION

Whilst a cut-off score of 16.5 on the CDQ may result in a large number of false positives, clinicians may still wish to use the CDQ to refine who receives spirometry due to its high sensitivity.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ANZCTR, ACTRN12619001127190. Registered 12 August 2019 - Retrospectively registered, http://www.ANZCTR.org.au/ACTRN12619001127190.aspx.

Characteristics of COPD Patients Prescribed ICS Managed in General Practice vs. Secondary Care

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) for COPD have been much debated. Our aim was to investigate characteristics of ICS prescribed COPD patients managed only in general practice compared to those also managed in secondary care. Participating general practitioners recruited patients with COPD (ICPC 2nd ed. code R95) currently prescribed ICS (ACT code R03AK and R03BA). Data on demographics, comorbidities, smoking habits, spirometry, dyspnea score and exacerbation history were retrieved from medical records. Logistic regression analysis was applied to detect predictors associated with management in secondary care. 2,279 COPD patients (45% males and mean age 71 years) were recruited in primary care. Compared to patients managed in primary care only (n = 1,179), patients also managed in secondary care (n = 560) were younger (p = 0.013), had lower BMI, more life-time tobacco exposure (p = 0.03), more exacerbations (p < 0.001) and hospitalizations (p < 0.001) and lower FEV₁/FVC-ratio (0.59 versus 0.52, respectively). Compared to patients managed in only primary care, logistic regression analysis revealed that management also in secondary care was associated to MRC-score ≥3 (OR 2.70; 95% CI 1.50-4.86; p = 0.001), FEV₁%pred (OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.95 to 0.99; p = 0.036), and systemic corticosteroids for COPD exacerbation (OR 1.44; 95% CI 1.10-1.89; p = 0.008). In COPD patients prescribed ICS recruited in primary care, patients also managed in secondary care had more respiratory symptoms, lower lung function and exacerbations treated with systemic corticosteroids indicating that the most severe COPD patients, in general, are referred for specialist care.

Unique genomic features and prognostic value of COSMIC mutational signature 4 in lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Analysis of mutational signatures is becoming routine in cancer genomics, with implications for pathogenesis, classification, and prognosis. Among the signatures cataloged at COSMIC, mutational signature 4 has been linked to smoking. However, the distribution of signature 4 in Chinese lung cancer patients has not been evaluated, and its clinical value has not been evaluated. Here we survey mutational signatures in Chinese lung cancer patients and explore the relationship between signature 4 and other genomic features in the patients.

Methods

We extracted mutational signatures from whole-exome sequencing data of Chinese non-small cell lung cancer patients. The data included 401 lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and 92 squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). We then performed statistical analysis to search for genomic and clinical features that can be linked to mutation signatures.

Results

We found signature 4 is the most frequent mutational signature in LUSC and the second most frequent in LUAD. Fifty-six LUAD and thirty-five LUSC patients were named with high signature 4 similarities (cosine similarity >0.7). These patients have shorter survival and higher tumor mutational burden comparing to those with low signature 4 similarities. Dozens of genes with single nucleotide variation, index mutations, and copy number variations were differentially enriched in the patients with high signature 4 similarities. Among these genes, CSMD3, LRP1B, TP53, SYNE1, SLIT2, FGF4, and FGF19 are common in both LUADs and LUSCs with high signature 4 similarities, showing that these genes are tightly associated with signature 4.

Conclusions

The present study is the first to report a comparison in Chinese NSCLC patients with or without COSMIC mutational signature 4. These results will help find the Signature 4 related mutational process in NSCLC.

A snapshot of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease management in general practice in Ireland

BACKGROUND

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death and disability. Its diagnosis, classification and management are complex. There is a paucity of data on the standard of COPD management in Irish general practice.

AIMS

We studied whether COPD diagnosis and management was in accordance with the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines. We investigated if patients who were smokers had received smoking cessation advice. We examined whether influenza and pneumococcal vaccination had been given.

METHODS

Ten general practices affiliated with the Irish Mid-West Specialist Training Programme in General Practice (GP) were searched, to determine which patients had a diagnosis of COPD. A data-collection audit tool was developed using GOLD 2019 guidelines. Results were tabulated in SPSS. Descriptive statistics were used.

RESULTS

Of 482 patients studied, 91.7% were eligible for free GP care. In 49.4%, the diagnosis of COPD had been made appropriately. In 56.2%, there was no evidence that the stage of COPD had been formally assessed. Of the patients studied, 33.2% were deemed to be receiving appropriate therapy. Smoking status was documented in 99.6% of cases studied and 59.9% were ex-smokers, while 25.9% were current smokers. Appropriate smoking cessation advice had been offered to 71% of eligible patients. Influenza vaccine had been given to 66.2% in the previous 12 months. A total of 53.9% had ever received pneumococcal vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a comprehensive snapshot of care in Irish general practice for patients with COPD prior to introduction of the Chronic Disease Management programme (CDM).

The feasibility of an innovative GP-physiotherapist partnership to identify and manage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (INTEGRATED): study protocol

BACKGROUND

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) contributes significantly to mortality, hospitalisations and health care costs worldwide. There is evidence that the detection, accurate diagnosis and management of COPD are currently suboptimal in primary care. Physiotherapists are well-trained in cardiorespiratory management and chronic care but are currently underutilised in primary care. A cardiorespiratory physiotherapist working in partnership with general practitioners (GPs) has the potential to improve quality of care for people with COPD.

METHODS

A prospective pilot study will test the feasibility of an integrated model of care between GPs and physiotherapists to improve the diagnosis and management of people with COPD in primary care. Four general practices will be selected to work in partnership with four physiotherapists from their local health district. Patients at risk of developing COPD or those with a current diagnosis of COPD will be invited to attend a baseline assessment with the physiotherapist, including pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry to identify new cases of COPD or confirm a current diagnosis and stage of COPD. The intervention for those with COPD will involve the physiotherapist and GP working in partnership to develop and implement a care plan involving the following tailored to patient need: referral to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), physical activity counselling, medication review, smoking cessation, review of inhaler technique and education. Process outcomes will include the number of people invited and reviewed at the practice, the proportion with a new diagnosis of COPD, the number of patients eligible and referred to PR and the number who attended PR. Patient outcomes will include changes in symptoms, physical activity levels, smoking status and self-reported exacerbations.

DISCUSSION

If feasible, we will test the integration of physiotherapists within the primary care setting in a cluster randomised controlled trial. If the model improves health outcomes for the growing numbers of people with COPD, then it may provide a GP-physiotherapist model of care that could be tested for other chronic conditions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ANZCTR, ACTRN12619001127190. Registered on 12 August 2019-retrospectively registered.

Diagnosing COPD in primary care: what has real life practice got to do with guidelines?

BACKGROUND

The role of primary care physician in COPD management varies in different health care systems. According to the researches in various countries, extent of spirometry use in diagnosing and grading COPD frequently remains insufficient. Inaccurate diagnosis results in mistreatment and disease progression.The aims of our study were to investigate the accuracy of COPD diagnosis, grading, and treatment according to guidelines in daily practice of primary care.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of ambulatory records in a large primary care center was conducted. Digital medical records of current patients were screened for ICD-10-AM codes J44.0, J44.1, J44.8 and J44.9. All medical records starting from the first visit in this primary care center were reviewed.

RESULTS

Two hundred twenty-eight patients diagnosed with COPD were included in the study, 118 male, mean age 67 yrs. (SD 14). A spirometry report was available to 58% of the patients, 75% of them met the guidelines for COPD diagnosis. The grade was correct for 56.8% of the patients. 54% were consulted by the pulmonologist at least once. After re-analyzing spirometry, correcting the diagnosis, and grading, it was determined that only 70% of the patients were receiving appropriate treatments. Sixteen per cent of patients were undertreated and 14% were overtreated.

CONCLUSIONS

COPD care in primary practice remains suboptimal. Incorrect approach often leads to incorrect grading and mistreatment. Points for improvement should be identified in further studies.

Discontinuation of therapy among COPD patients who experience an improvement in exacerbation status

PURPOSE

A subset of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience a decrease in exacerbation frequency, leading to a diminished need for treatment with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). We investigated prescribing and discontinuation patterns of long-acting bronchodilators and ICS in COPD patients according to exacerbation frequency.

METHODS

Using the nationwide Danish health registries, we conducted a drug utilization study among patients who had at least two exacerbations or one hospitalization due to an exacerbation during 2011-2012. This study population was stratified according to consistency of exacerbation occurrence after 12, 24, 36, and 48 months of follow-up and the groups were described according to use of ICS, long-acting β₂-agonists (LABA), and long-acting anticholinergics (LAMA), and combinations thereof.

RESULTS

We identified 29,010 COPD exacerbators during 2011-2012. Upon inclusion, 70% received ICS-containing regimens, in combination with LABA (23%) or both LABA and LAMA (41%). The proportion of prevalent users of ICS-containing regimens decreased to 56% during follow-up among exacerbation-free individuals, while it increased to 86% in individuals who experienced at least one exacerbation annually. Persistence to ICS-containing regimens was 58% after 4 years in individuals without exacerbations compared to 74% among those with annual exacerbations. Similar patterns were observed for triple therapy which was the most extensively used drug combination regardless of consistency of exacerbation occurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

The extensive use of ICS and the relatively high persistence to ICS-containing regimens in individuals who had a decrease in exacerbation occurrence highlight a need for the development and implementation of de-escalation strategies in clinical practice.

Population-based study of LAMA monotherapy effectiveness compared with LABA/LAMA as initial treatment for COPD in primary care

This epidemiological study aimed to describe and compare the characteristics and outcomes of COPD patients starting treatment with a long-acting anti-muscarinic (LAMA) or a combination of a long-acting beta-2 agonist (LABA)/LAMA in primary care in Catalonia (Spain) over a one-year period. Data were obtained from the Information System for the Development in Research in Primary Care (SIDIAP), a population database containing information of 5.8 million inhabitants (80% of the population of Catalonia). Patients initiating treatment with a LAMA or LABA/LAMA in 2015 were identified, and information about demographic and clinical characteristics was collected. Then, patients were matched 1:1 for age, sex, FEV1%, history of exacerbations, history of asthma and duration of treatment, and the outcomes between the two groups were compared. During 2015, 5729 individuals with COPD started treatment with a LAMA (69.8%) or LAMA/LABA (30.2%). There were no remarkable differences between groups except for a lower FEV1 and more previous hospital admissions in individuals on LABA/LAMA. The number of tests and referrals was low and decreased in both groups during follow-up. For the same severity status, the evolution was similar with a reduction in exacerbations in both groups. Treatment was changed during follow-up in up to 34.2% of patients in the LABA/LAMA and 26.3% in the LAMA group, but adherence was equally good for both. Our results suggest that initial therapy with LAMA in monotherapy may be adequate in a significant group of mild to moderate patients with COPD and a low risk of exacerbations managed in primary care.

A single rather than combined long-acting inhaler therapy may be adequate for most patients when treating mild to moderate chronic lung disease. Marc Miravitlles at the Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona, Spain, and co-workers have shown that, in the initial stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), treatment with an inhaled drug called a long-acting anti-muscarinic agent (LAMA) is as effective as an alternative inhaler that combines LAMA with another drug (LABA). The researchers identified 5729 COPD patients from Catalonia starting on inhaled treatment in 2015 and followed up on their progress after 1 year. Patients starting on LAMA monotherapy were matched closely in terms of demographics and previous medical history to those starting on LAMA/LABA treatment. The team found no remarkable differences in clinical characteristics between the groups over the year.

The impact of 2011 and 2017 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (GOLD) guidelines on allocation and pharmacological management of patients with COPD in Taiwan: Taiwan Obstructive Lung Disease (TOLD) study

BACKGROUND

This nationwide study was performed to evaluate the evolution of distributions of patients with COPD according to the 2011 and 2017 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (GOLD) guidelines and to assess the concordance between the prescribed medications and the pharmacological management recommended by the two distinct classification systems in Taiwan.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Data were retrospectively retrieved from stable COPD patients in 11 participating hospitals across Taiwan. Patients were grouped according to GOLD 2011 and 2017 guidelines respectively. Definitions of undertreatment and overtreatment were based on the pharmacological recommendations in the individual guidelines.

RESULTS

A total of 1,053 COPD patients were included. The percentages of patients in GOLD 2011 groups A, B, C and D were 18.4%, 40.6%, 6.7% and 34.2%, respectively. When reclassified according to the GOLD 2017, the percentages of group A and B increased to 23.3% and 63.2%, and groups C and D decreased to 1.9% and 11.6%, respectively. Up to 67% of patients in GOLD 2011 groups C and D were reclassified to GOLD 2017 groups A and B. The pharmacological concordance rate was 60.9% for GOLD 2011 and decreased to 44.9% for GOLD 2017. Overtreatment was found in 29.5% of patients according to GOLD 2011 and the rate increased to 46.1% when classified by the GOLD 2017. The major cause of overtreatment was unnecessary inhaled corticosteroids and the main cause of undertreatment was a lack of maintenance long-acting bronchodilators.

CONCLUSION

The distribution of COPD patients in Taiwan was more uneven with the GOLD 2017 than with the GOLD 2011. A pharmacological discordance to the guidelines was identified. Updated guidelines with reclassification of COPD patients resulted in more discordance between prescribed medications and the guidelines. Physicians should make proper adjustments of the prescriptions according to the updated guidelines to ensure the mostly appropriate treatment for COPD patients.

Trends in the utilisation of COPD therapeutic regimens before and after the introduction of LAMA/LABA combination products: A population-based study

INTRODUCTION

Long-acting muscarinic antagonist/long-acting beta agonist (LAMA/LABA) combination products have recently been introduced. We sought to describe the impact of these products on patterns of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used administrative healthcare data from Ontario, Canada, to identify all residents aged ≥ 65 years who were dispensed a product to treat COPD at least once between January 2010 and May 2016, and to calculate the monthly prevalence of use of 11 mutually exclusive therapeutic regimens. We also compared the characteristics of new users of LAMA/LABA and LAMA + LABA regimens.

RESULTS

Overall use of any COPD regimen remained stable in the year following the formulary listing of LAMA/LABA combination products in May 2015, as did the use of LABA/ICS (most commonly-used regimen). Use of LAMA/LABA and LAMA/LABA + ICS (inhaled corticosteroid) regimens rose rapidly to 283 and 56 users per 100,000 population, respectively, while concurrent falls were seen for LAMA + LABA/ICS (2047 to 1944), LAMA + LABA + ICS (30-19), and LAMA + LABA (103-63). LAMA and LABA monotherapy use declined (1764 to 1669 and 57 to 51, respectively). New users of LAMA/LABA were more likely to be male, urban-dwelling, and to have transitioned from LABA/ICS therapy than new users of LAMA + LABA, and less likely to have transitioned from LAMA or LABA monotherapy, or LAMA + ICS. They were also more likely to have visited a respirologist, and less likely to have been hospitalised, at least once in the preceding 180 days.

CONCLUSIONS

The introduction of LAMA/LABA combination products led to population-level changes in regimens used for COPD therapy, but no overall increase in long-acting therapy use. New users of LAMA/LABA and LAMA + LABA regimens transitioned to dual LAMA and LABA therapy through different treatment pathways.

Health status in patients with COPD treated with roflumilast: two large noninterventional real-life studies: DINO and DACOTA

Purpose

DINO and DACOTA were prospective, noninterventional studies assessing the health status and quality of life of patients with COPD newly treated with roflumilast 500 μg once-daily add-on therapy.

Patients and methods

Patients were evaluated over 6 months. Clinical COPD questionnaire (CCQ) and COPD assessment test (CAT) scores were recorded at baseline and after 3 and 6 months. In DACOTA, post-bronchodilator FEV1 was recorded at each time point.

Results

Of 5,462 and 3,645 patients recruited into DINO and DACOTA, respectively, 3,274 patients in DINO and 916 patients in DACOTA completed the 6-month visit. Almost all patients had severe or very severe airway obstruction; mean baseline CCQ total score was 3.9 in DINO and 3.7 in DACOTA. Overall, 33.8% of patients in DACOTA and 30.6% in DINO discontinued treatment prematurely. Significant and clinically relevant improvements in CCQ total scores were observed in both studies (mean change from baseline of 1.36 in DINO and 0.91 in DACOTA at Month 6 [all P<0.001]). Changes in CAT total score from baseline to Month 6 indicated that the average clinical impact of COPD was reduced from a severe (score: 21-30) to a moderate (score: 11-20) impairment. In DACOTA, mean change in post-bronchodilator FEV1 was 202 mL (P<0.001). Diarrhea, nausea, and weight decrease were the most frequently reported adverse drug reactions.

Conclusion

In real-life clinical practice, roflumilast treatment as an add-on therapy is associated with clinically relevant improvements in health status and quality of life.

[Study of the feasibility of spirometry in general practice]

COPD is common but is under-diagnosed by general practitioners (GP). GP have a major role in the early diagnosis of this disease. GP could have access to spirometry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality and interpretation of spirometry performed by primary care residents following a short education session. Three residents were trained in spirometry for half a day. They then performed spirometry on all smokers over the age of 35 visiting five general practices. The results were reviewed blindly by an independent specialist pulmonologist to assess their quality and interpretation. Among 184 eligible patients, 89% agreed to participate and 66% (n=107) came for the second appointment. The pulmonologist evaluated the quality of spirometry as good in 72% of cases, of suboptimal but acceptable quality in 20% and of poor quality in 8%. Interpretation was accurate in 91% of tests. The Kappa concordance coefficient between GPs and the expert was 0.93. Airflow obstruction was detected in 17.5% of the screened subjects. The average time for a consultation with spirometry was 19minutes. The consultation dedicated to spirometry was well accepted by patients. A short training has to be structured to allow GPs to perform and interpret spirometry properly. This work needs to be extended to better assess reproducibility in cases of abnormal spirometry.

Impact of body mass index on the predictive capacity of the COPD-6 device in the detection of airflow obstruction

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The portable COPD-6 device has been validated as a screening tool for airflow obstruction through the quantification of the FEV₁/FEV₆ ratio. To date, however, the impact of body mass index (BMI) on its ability to predict airflow obstruction has not been evaluated. The aim of the study was to assess the predictive ability of COPD-6 to detect airflow obstruction based on the patient's BMI.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A prospective and open cohort study in which 223 subjects who underwent conventional spirometry and COPD-6 were included. The area under the curve ROC (AUC) of FEV₁/FEV₆ was analysed in the detection of obstruction for all patients in addition to BMI (BMI<30kg/m² and BMI≥30kg/m²). Sensitivity and specificity, negative and positive predictive value as well as likelihood ratio were calculated to determine the cut-off point of COPD-6 FEV₁/FEV₆ ratio with greater predictive capacity.

RESULTS

The COPD-6 allows ruling out airflow obstruction with AUC of the estimated ROC curve of 88% (95% CI 83-93). The cut-off point FEV₁/FEV₆ of 0.74-0.76 shows the best predictive capacity. However, this capacity is altered according to BMI with an increase in false positives in subjects with BMI≥30kg/ m² when using the same cut-off point for the whole sample.

CONCLUSION

The choice of cut-off point FEV₁/FEV₆ for the detection of obstruction should be adjusted to the patient's BMI.

Frequency of COPD in health care workers who smoke

Objective:

COPD is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Health care providers should counsel their smoking patients with COPD to quit smoking as the first treatment step. However, in countries with high prevalences of smoking, health care workers may also be smokers. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and severity of COPD in health care workers who smoke.

Methods:

This was a cross-sectional study. All health care workers who smoke, from nine health care centers in Serbia, were invited to participate in the study and perform spirometry. The diagnosis of COPD was based on a post-bronchodilator FEV₁/FVC ratio of < 0.70. All patients completed the COPD Assessment Test and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence.

Results:

The study involved 305 subjects, and 47 (15.4%) were male. The mean age of the participants was 49.0 ± 6.5 years. Spirometry revealed obstructive ventilatory defect in 33 subjects (10.8%); restrictive ventilatory defect, in 5 (1.6%); and small airway disease, in 96 (31.5%). A diagnosis of COPD was made in 29 patients (9.5%), 25 (86.2%) of whom were newly diagnosed. On the basis of the Global Initiative for COPD guidelines, most COPD patients belonged to groups A or B (n = 14; 48.2%, for both); 1 belonged to group D (3.6%); and none, to group C. Very high nicotine dependence was more common in those with COPD than in those without it (20.7% vs. 5.4%, p = 0.01).

Conclusions:

In this sample of health care workers, the frequency of COPD was comparable with that in the general population. The presence of COPD in health care workers who smoke was associated with higher nicotine dependence.

Identification and distribution of COPD phenotypes in clinical practice according to Spanish COPD Guidelines: the FENEPOC study

Background

The Spanish Guidelines for COPD (GesEPOC) describe four clinical phenotypes: non-exacerbator (NE), asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACO), frequent exacerbator with emphysema (EE), and exacerbator with chronic bronchitis (ECB). The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of COPD phenotypes, their clinical characteristics, and the availability of diagnostic tools to classify COPD phenotypes in clinical practice.

Materials and methods

This study was an epidemiological, cross-sectional, and multi-centered study. Patients ≥40 years old with a post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁)/forced vital capacity ratio of <0.7 and who were smokers or former smokers (with at least 10 pack-years) were included. The availability of diagnostic tools to classify COPD phenotypes was assessed by an ad hoc questionnaire.

Results

A total of 647 patients (294 primary care [PC], 353 pulmonology centers) were included. Most patients were male (80.8%), with a mean age (SD) of 68.2 (9.2) years, mean post-bronchodilator FEV₁ was 53.2% (18.9%) and they suffered a mean of 2.2 (2.1) exacerbations in the last year. NE was the most frequent phenotype (47.5%) found, followed by ECB (29.1%), EE (17.0%), and ACO (6.5%). Significant differences between the four phenotypes were found regarding age; sex; body mass index; FEV₁; body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnea, and exercise capacity (BODE)/body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnea and exacerbations (BODEx) index; modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale; respiratory symptoms; comorbidi-ties; hospitalizations; and exacerbations in the last year. Physicians considered that >80% of the diagnostic tools needed to classify COPD phenotypes were available, with the exception of computed tomography (26.9%) and carbon monoxide transfer test (13.5%) in PC, and sputum eosinophilia count in PC and pulmonology centers (40.4% and 49.4%, respectively).

Conclusion

In Spanish clinical practice, almost half of the patients with COPD presented with NE phenotype. The prevalence of ACO according to the Spanish consensus definition was very low. In general, physicians indicated that they had the necessary tools for diagnosing COPD phenotypes.

[Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in real life. LEONPOC study]

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate different characteristics of COPD patients according to phenotypes and GOLD guidelines.according to GesEPOC phenotypes and GOLD 2011 ABCD guidelines and pharmacological treatment agreement.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

LOCATION

COPD patients aged 40-85 from León were randomly selected from Primary Care database, MEDORA.

PARTICIPANTS

5222 eligible COPD patients were collected from MEDORA database. We calculated a sample size of 734 patients and finally studied 577 of them.

MAIN MEASUREMENTS

Patientś clinical, functional and health related quality of life information were collected. Spirometry and postbroncodilator test were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 577 patients were included in this study. 28.7% of them did not have a spirometry recorded in their files. 123 patients had a normal or non-obstructive spirometry pattern, so they were excluded from a COPD diagnostic. With regard to treatments, there was an overprescribing of inhaled steroids in patients from GOLD A and B groups, and also in patients with the called exacerbator phenotype (GesEPOC).

CONCLUSION

Although there have been several published guidelines, management of COPD patients in real life should be improved.

First maintenance therapy for COPD in the UK between 2009 and 2012: a retrospective database analysis

Clinical guidelines recommend long-acting bronchodilators as first maintenance therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) reserved for patients with more severe disease and exacerbations. The aim of this analysis was to examine real-life prescribing of first maintenance therapy for COPD in the UK. Data were extracted from the UK Optimum Patient Care Research Database for patients with a first prescription for COPD maintenance therapy between 2009 and 2012 and a diagnosis of COPD at or before the date of the first prescription for COPD maintenance therapy. Routine clinical data including demographics, disease history and symptoms, comorbidities, therapy, hospitalisation rate and exacerbation rate were collected and used to characterise patients stratified by disease severity and Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) group (A–D). The analysis population included 2,217 individuals (55.4% male, 45.2% smokers). Long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA) as monotherapy were prescribed as first maintenance therapy for 40.2% of patients. ICS were prescribed as ICS/long-acting beta-agonists combination for 29.1% of patients or as monotherapy for 15.5%. ICS (alone or in combination) were prescribed to >40% of patients in each GOLD group. ICS-containing regimens were prescribed to patients with a history of pneumonia and comorbid conditions for whom the risks of ICS therapy may outweigh the benefits. The clinical reality of prescribing indicates that ICS are often prescribed outside current guideline recommendations for many patients newly diagnosed with COPD in the UK. Encouragingly, LAMAs are increasingly being prescribed as first maintenance therapy for these patients.

Changes in initial COPD treatment choice over time and factors influencing prescribing decisions in UK primary care: in UK primary care: a real-world, retrospective, observational

Prescribing patterns in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are often inconsistent with published guidelines. This retrospective, observational study utilised data from the Optimum Patient Care Research Database to examine the changes in COPD prescribing patterns over time and to identify predictors of physician treatment choice for patients newly diagnosed with COPD. Initial therapy was defined as the treatment(s) prescribed at or within 1 year before COPD diagnosis. Changes over time were assessed in three cohorts based on the date of diagnosis: (1) 1997-2001; (2) 2002-2006; and (3) 2007-2010. Factors affecting the odds of being prescribed any initial therapy or any initial maintenance therapy were identified by univariable and multivariable logistic regression. The analysis included 20,154 patients, 45% of whom were prescribed an initial regimen containing an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS), whereas 28% received no initial pharmacological treatment. Prescribing of ICS monotherapy decreased over time, as did the proportion of patients receiving no therapy at or within 1 year before diagnosis. Comorbid asthma, a high exacerbation rate, increased symptoms and poor lung function each increased the likelihood of being prescribed any initial therapy or initial maintenance therapy; comorbid asthma and an annual rate of ⩾3 exacerbations were the strongest predictors. In conclusion, our analyses revealed major differences between actual prescribing behaviour and guideline recommendations for patients with newly diagnosed COPD, with many patients receiving no treatment and large numbers of patients receiving ICS-containing regimens. Predictors of initial therapy were identified.

Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in asymptomatic smokers

Background

Physicians do not routinely recommend smokers to undergo spirometry unless they are symptomatic.

Objective

To test the hypothesis that there are a significant number of asymptomatic smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we estimated the prevalence of COPD in a group of asymptomatic smokers.

Methods

Two thousand nine hundred and sixty-one smokers with a cumulative consumption history of at least 10 pack-years, either smokers with symptoms or smokers without symptoms (WOS) were invited to perform a spirometry and complete a symptom questionnaire.

Results

Six hundred and thirty-seven (21.5%) smokers had no symptoms, whereas 2,324 (78.5%) had at least one symptom. The prevalence of COPD in subjects WOS was 1.5% when considering the whole group of smokers (45/2,961) and 7% when considering only the group WOS (45/637). From 329 smokers with COPD, 13.7% were WOS. Subjects WOS were younger, had better lung function and lower cumulative consumption of cigarettes, estimated as both cigarettes per day and pack-years. According to severity of airflow limitation, 69% vs 87% of subjects were classified as Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stages I–II in the WOS and smokers with symptoms groups, respectively (P<0.001). A multivariate analysis showed that forced expiratory volume in 1 second (mL) was the only predictive factor for COPD in asymptomatic smokers.

Conclusion

Prevalence of COPD in asymptomatic smokers is 1.5%. This number of asymptomatic smokers may be excluded from the benefit of an “early” intervention, not just pharmacological but also from smoking cessation counseling. The higher forced expiratory volume in 1 second may contribute to prevent early diagnosis.

An intervention with access to C-reactive protein rapid test reduces antibiotic overprescribing in acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis and COPD

BACKGROUND

In acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) antibiotic overprescribing leads to antimicrobial resistance and underprescribing may cause poor patient outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate changes in over- and underprescribing of antibiotics after two interventions to optimize antibiotic prescribing in AECOPD in Spain.

METHODS

In 2008 and 2009, general practitioners (GPs) registered patients in a 3-week period before and after interventions. Two types of intervention were conducted: GPs in the full-intervention group (FIG) were exposed to a multifaceted intervention and given access to C-reactive protein (CRP) rapid test; partial-intervention group (PIG) was only exposed to the multifaceted intervention. Overprescribing was defined as antibiotic given to type III* exacerbation (≤ one Anthonisen Criteria); underprescribing was defined as no antibiotic given to type I exacerbation (three Anthonisen Criteria). A multivariate logistic regression model was used, considering antibiotic prescribing as the dependent variable.

RESULTS

A total of 210 GPs and 70 GPs were assigned to FIG and PIG, respectively, and 952 AECOPD patients were eligible for main analysis. After adjusting for clustering at GP level and for patient age and sex, we found that GPs in FIG significantly reduced antibiotic overprescribing; odds ratio (OR) = 0.35 (95% CI: 0.18-0.68, P = 0.003) and underprescribing was not significantly increased; OR = 0.25 (95% CI: 0.06 to 1.0, P = 0.075). No statistically significant changes were found in the PIG.

CONCLUSION

Antibiotic overprescribing was only reduced when CRP test was available. Simultaneously, underprescribing was not significantly increased, but this could be due to sample size limitations.

Factors associated with inadequate diagnosis of COPD: On-Sint cohort analysis

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency of inadequate diagnosis and factors predictive of this in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) participating in the On-Sint study.

METHODS

The On-Sint cohort was recruited for a multicenter observational study in which 356 physicians (71.6% from primary care) included adult patients who had been diagnosed with COPD. Patients' clinical and functional information since diagnosis and details for the recruiting physicians were collected from patient files and at the inclusion visit. We performed a multivariate analysis to evaluate the influence of these variables on diagnostic inadequacy (absence of postbronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity [FEV1/FVC] <0.70 or, if this value was missing, prebronchodilator FEV1/FVC <0.70).

RESULTS

In total, 1,214 patients were included in the study. The patients had a mean age of 66.4±9.7 years and 78.8% were male. In total, 51.3% of patients did not have an obstructive spirometry performed, and 21.4% had a normal or non-obstructive spirometry pattern. Patient-related factors associated with inadequate diagnosis were: years since diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.05), number of exacerbations in the previous year (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.01-1.02), comorbidities (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.015), and obesity (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02-1.10 per kg/m(2) of body mass index), while a longer smoking history (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-0.99 for each pack/year) and short-acting or long-acting bronchodilator therapy (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.44-0.76 and OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.27-0.76, respectively) were inversely related. With regard to physician-related variables, being followed up by primary care physicians (OR 3.0, 95% CI 2.11-4.34) and in rural centers (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.12-2.38) were positively associated with an inadequate diagnosis, while having regular follow-ups in the most severe cases (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.46-0.93) and use of quality of life questionnaires (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.40-0.76) were negatively associated.

CONCLUSION

Diagnosis of COPD was inadequate in half of the patients from the On-Sint cohort. There were multiple factors, both patient-related and physician-related, associated with this misdiagnosis.

Behavioral Changes in General Practitioners towards Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Over Five Years: An Observational Study

OBJECTIVE

Early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is critical for preventing progression; however, the disease is rarely detected in the early stages. One reason for this is that COPD is not generally recognized and diagnosed by general practitioners (GPs). The objective of this study was to observe changes in the knowledge and behavior of GPs regarding the diagnosis and treatment of COPD over a five-year period.

METHODS

The surveys were performed using identical and anonymous questionnaires in 2005, 2006 and 2010. During this period, various educational campaigns were conducted.

MATERIALS

All members of the Shiga Medical Association working as GPs in Shiga Prefecture.

RESULTS

The number of questionnaires collected was 216 of 711, 269 of 731 and 326 of 856, respectively. Throughout the study period, the number of doctors who prescribed inhaled long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs) significantly increased (p<0.001). However, there were no significant changes in the rate of possession of spirometers or recognition of COPD guidelines. When we focused on the data for internists, the rate of recognition of the guidelines increased significantly (p<0.01), despite a lack of change in the rate of possession of spirometers. Furthermore, the results of the multivariate analysis revealed that increased knowledge concerning COPD was associated with the doctor's specialty, ownership of a spirometer, number of COPD patients attending their clinic and their level of recognition of the guidelines.

CONCLUSION

During the study period, the GPs prescribed more inhaled LAMAs. The rate of recognition of COPD guidelines was also increased among internists. Educational campaigns may be more effective if the backgrounds of the GPs are taken into consideration.

[ARAPOC Study: Prevalence of respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the general population]

Objetivo

El objetivo de este trabajo fue conocer la prevalencia de síntomas respiratorios y de EPOC, así como las características de esta población en Aragón (España).

Diseño y emplazamiento

Estudio epidemiológico, transversal, en población entre 40 y 75 años. Los sujetos fueron elegidos de forma aleatoria y estratificada por edad y sexo a partir de los datos de la tarjeta sanitaria del Servicio Aragonés de Salud.

Participantes

Un total de 1.185 sujetos aceptaron colaborar.

Mediciones principales

Un cuestionario sociodemográfico y clínico y espirometría forzada antes y después de una prueba broncodilatadora. El diagnóstico de EPOC se realizaba según los criterios de la guía GOLD (cociente FEV₁/CVF < 0,7).

Resultados

La prevalencia de EPOC alcanzó un 10,4% (IC: 9,8-11,0%), un 16,9% en hombres y un 5,7% en mujeres. Los síntomas respiratorios aparecieron en un 58% de la población general. Existía mayor prevalencia de EPOC en las mujeres que en otros estudios. Los factores asociados a desarrollar EPOC fueron ser hombre, tener más edad, mayor índice tabáquico y menor nivel de estudios. El 78,9% de los pacientes con EPOC no estaban diagnosticados. Los diagnosticados fueron de más edad, más fumadores, con EPOC más graves o con peor calidad de vida.

Conclusiones

La alta prevalencia de EPOC y el importante nivel de infradiagnóstico nos permite creer que el diagnóstico precoz de esta enfermedad es todavía una asignatura pendiente. Necesitamos desarrollar nuevas estrategias para atajar este problema.

[Accesibility and use of spirometry in primary care centers in Catalonia]

Objetivo

Conocer la accesibilidad y la utilización de la espirometría forzada (EF) en los dispositivos públicos de atención primaria en Cataluña.

Diseño

Estudio transversal mediante encuesta.

Participantes

Trescientos sesenta y seis equipos de atención primaria (EAP) de Cataluña. Tercer trimestre de 2010.

Mediciones

Encuesta con información relativa a los espirómetros, la formación, la interpretación y el control de calidad, y el grado de prioridad que la calidad de la espirometría tenía para el equipo. Se analizaron: media de EF/100 habitantes/año; índice de EF/mes/EAP; índice de EF/mes/10.000 habitantes.

Resultados principales

Porcentaje de respuesta: 75%. El 97,5% de los EAP dispone de espirómetro y realiza una media de 2,01 espirometrías/100 habitantes (34,68 espirometrías/EAP/mes). El 83% dispone de profesionales formados y más del 50% de los centros realizan formación reglada, pero no se dispone de información sobre la calidad de la misma. En el 70% se hace algún tipo de calibración. La interpretación la realiza el médico de familia en el 87,3% de los casos. En el 68% de los casos no se lleva a cabo ningún tipo de control de calidad de la exploración. En dos tercios de los casos se introducen manualmente los datos en la historia clínica informatiza. Más del 50% se atribuye una prioridad alta para las estrategias de mejora de la calidad de la EF.

Conclusiones

A pesar de la accesibilidad a la EF deben realizarse esfuerzos para estandarizar la formación, incrementar el número de exploraciones y promover el control de calidad sistemático.

Primary care COPD patients compared with large pharmaceutically-sponsored COPD studies: an UNLOCK validation study

Background

Guideline recommendations for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are based on the results of large pharmaceutically-sponsored COPD studies (LPCS). There is a paucity of data on disease characteristics at the primary care level, while the majority of COPD patients are treated in primary care.

Objective

We aimed to evaluate the external validity of six LPCS (ISOLDE, TRISTAN, TORCH, UPLIFT, ECLIPSE, POET-COPD) on which current guidelines are based, in relation to primary care COPD patients, in order to inform future clinical practice guidelines and trials.

Methods

Baseline data of seven primary care databases (n = 3508) from Europe were compared to baseline data of the LPCS. In addition, we examined the proportion of primary care patients eligible to participate in the LPCS, based on inclusion criteria.

Results

Overall, patients included in the LPCS were younger (mean difference (MD)-2.4; p = 0.03), predominantly male (MD 12.4; p = 0.1) with worse lung function (FEV1% MD -16.4; p<0.01) and worse quality of life scores (SGRQ MD 15.8; p = 0.01). There were large differences in GOLD stage distribution compared to primary care patients. Mean exacerbation rates were higher in LPCS, with an overrepresentation of patients with ≥1 and ≥2 exacerbations, although results were not statistically significant. Our findings add to the literature, as we revealed hitherto unknown GOLD I exacerbation characteristics, showing 34% of mild patients had ≥1 exacerbations per year and 12% had ≥2 exacerbations per year. The proportion of primary care patients eligible for inclusion in LPCS ranged from 17% (TRISTAN) to 42% (ECLIPSE, UPLIFT).

Conclusion

Primary care COPD patients stand out from patients enrolled in LPCS in terms of gender, lung function, quality of life and exacerbations. More research is needed to determine the effect of pharmacological treatment in mild to moderate patients. We encourage future guideline makers to involve primary care populations in their recommendations.

Overtreatment of COPD with inhaled corticosteroids--implications for safety and costs: cross-sectional observational study

INTRODUCTION

Combined inhaled long-acting beta-agonists and corticosteroids (LABA+ICS) are costly. They are recommended in severe or very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). They should not be prescribed in mild or moderate disease. In COPD ICS are associated with side-effects including risk of pneumonia. We quantified appropriateness of prescribing and examined the risks and costs associated with overuse.

METHODS

Data were extracted from the electronic and paper records of 41 London general practices (population 310,775) including spirometry, medications and exacerbations. We classified severity, assessed appropriateness of prescribing using the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines for 2009, and performed a sensitivity analysis using the broader recommendations of the 2011 revision.

RESULTS

3537 patients had a diagnosis of COPD. Spirometry was recorded for 2458(69%). 709(29%) did not meet GOLD criteria. 1749(49%) with confirmed COPD were analysed: 8.6% under-treated, 38% over-treated. Over-prescription of ICS in GOLD stage I or II (n=403, 38%) and in GOLD III or IV without exacerbations (n=231, 33.6%) was common. An estimated 12 cases (95%CI 7-19) annually of serious pneumonia were likely among 897 inappropriately treated. 535 cases of overtreatment involved LABA+ICS with a mean per patient cost of £553.56/year (€650.03). Using the broader indications for ICS in the 2011 revised GOLD guideline 25% were still classified as over-treated. The estimated risk of 15 cases of pneumonia (95%CI 8-22) in 1074 patients currently receiving ICS would rise by 20% to 18 (95%CI 9.8-26.7) in 1305 patients prescribed ICS if all with GOLD grade 3 and 4 received LABA+ICS.

CONCLUSION

Over-prescription of ICS in confirmed COPD was widespread with considerable potential for harm. In COPD where treatment is often escalated in the hope of easing the burden of disease clinicians should consider both the risks and benefits of treatment and the costs where the benefits are unproven.

Results of the CAPPS: COPD--assessment of practice in primary care study

OBJECTIVE

Since many patients with COPD in the US are managed by primary care physicians, we evaluated adherence to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines in a primary care setting.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a random sample of patients (n=50-150 per site) aged 40-89 years with diagnosed COPD. Patients were identified for study inclusion (N=1517) from 11 US primary care sites. Demographic and clinical information was extracted from primary care medical records via retrospective chart review. The main outcome measures were adherence to GOLD primary care guidelines, assessed via three components as follows: 1. Is there a current diagnostic spirometry test measurement available within the patient's medical record during the prior calendar year? 2. Are comorbid conditions, if present, being treated appropriately? 3. Are adequate risk reduction measures being taken?

RESULTS

Mean patient age was 67.2 (SD±11.3) years, 54% were female, and 34% were current smokers. Overall, 19% of patients had comorbid asthma, 66% hypertension, 61% dyslipidemia, 30% cardiovascular disease, and 28% diabetes. Mean duration of COPD was approximately 4.8 years. Only 27% of patients had a spirometry test result documented within the past year. More than half (52%) of patients did not have a documented COPD stage; 20% were classified as stage I, 13% stage II, 12% stage III, 3% stage IV. About 63% of patients met at least one guideline component, while only 3% of patients met all components; 27% met diagnostic, 25% comorbid conditions management, and 32% met risk reduction criteria.

LIMITATIONS

The retrospective design of our study did not allow evaluation of some possible covariates or causal assessment, and spirometry measurements were unavailable for many patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that treatment per COPD primary care guidelines was not consistently applied among participating practices (range 0.0%-8.7% for meeting all three components). Educational initiatives may increase primary care providers' knowledge of and adherence to COPD treatment guidelines and recommended patient management strategies.

Long-term management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a survey of collaboration among physicians involved in pulmonary rehabilitation in Japan

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated the implementation of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), and the extent of the collaboration between primary care and chest physicians involved in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Japan.

METHODS

The survey was conducted in 2006 via post and facsimile and included all medical institutions approved by the Japan Respiratory Society.

RESULTS

In total, 176 institutions responded (response rate, 27%); a PR program was conducted at 55.1% of these institutions throughout Japan, but with regional differences. The mean duration of each session in an outpatient setting was 30 min with 2 sessions per week, and the mean length of hospitalization was 2-3 weeks. Although 33% of the hospitals adopted PR programs, on a scale from none (0) to maximum achievement (100), the accomplishment score was 48. Similarly, the mean satisfaction level score for collaboration was 44. The main problem arising with regards to chest physicians' referral to general physicians was the reluctance of patients or family members (88%). Chest physicians believed that general physicians should perform early screening of patients and manage early exacerbations, including educating patients of the need to discontinue smoking.

CONCLUSIONS

Most chest physicians in Japan were not satisfied with the status of long-term COPD management. PR for COPD patients and collaboration between primary care physicians and specialists remain problematic in Japan. Moreover, there are widespread regional differences in terms of implementation. Sharing and implementing appropriate clinical information with primary care physicians according to current clinical guidelines should be emphasized.

Identifying patients at risk of late recovery (≥ 8 days) from acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis and COPD

OBJECTIVES

To identify factors associated with late recovery (≥ 8 days from exacerbation start) in patients with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis/COPD (AECB/AECOPD).

METHODS

An international, observational, non-interventional study in outpatients with AECB/AECOPD who received treatment for their exacerbation with the antibiotic moxifloxacin. Factors analyzed for late recovery included patient demographic characteristics, geographic region and disease severity. Additionally, logistic regression analysis was undertaken to identify factors associated with late recovery.

RESULTS

The analysis population was 40,435 patients aged ≥ 35 years, from Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Americas and Middle East/Africa. Most were male (63.1%), mean age 60.4 years and current or ex-smokers (60.6%) with history of ≥ 2 exacerbations in the previous year. Patients who underwent spirometry (n = 6408, 19.7%) had moderate airflow obstruction (mean FEV(1) 1.7 L). Both clinicians and patients reported that moxifloxacin provided clinical improvement in a mean of 3 days and recovery in 6 days. Clinical factors significantly associated with late recovery were: age ≥ 65 years, duration of chronic bronchitis >10 years, cardiac comorbidity, >3 exacerbations in the previous 12 months, current exacerbation type (Anthonisen I/II) and hospitalization in the last 12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

In a large cohort of patients, all treated with the same antibiotic for an exacerbation of chronic bronchitis or COPD, the main factors associated with late recovery (≥ 8 days) were: older age, history of frequent exacerbations, current exacerbation type of Anthonisen I/II, history of prior hospitalizations and cardiac comorbid conditions.

Difficulties in differential diagnosis of COPD and asthma in primary care

BACKGROUND

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma treatment must be based on appropriate diagnosis. However, patients receiving inhaled therapy in primary care may not be accurately diagnosed according to current guidelines.

AIM

To analyse the characteristics of patients treated with inhaled medication, the concordance of tools for differential diagnosis, and the adequacy of prescription of inhaled corticosteroids (ICs) in primary care.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Cross-sectional, multicentre, non-interventional study conducted in 10 primary care centres in Barcelona, Spain.

METHOD

Patients with chronic respiratory disease, aged >40 years were treated with ICs. They provided sociodemographic and clinical information and performed forced spirometry with a bronchodilator test (BDT). The diagnostic accuracy of asthma and COPD diagnoses were tested using two differential diagnosis questionnaires.

RESULTS

A total of 328 patients were initially classified as having COPD (64.8%), asthma (15.4%), or indeterminate (19.8%) by their GPs. After spirometry, 40% of patients had moderate-severe airflow obstruction according to the GOLD classification; mean reversibility of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was 8.4%; 18.6% had a positive BDT; and 39.8% had post-bronchodilator FEV1/forced vital capacity >0.7. Concordance of the differential diagnosis tools was moderate (clinical diagnosis versus spirometry and between the two questionnaires), low (clinical diagnosis versus questionnaires), and very low (spirometry versus differential diagnosis). Of the patients diagnosed with COPD, 71.4% were treated with ICs, and 12% of those classified as having asthma were not receiving ICs.

CONCLUSION

Most patients can be classified as having COPD or asthma by primary care physicians. The use of the two questionnaires did not provide a better differential diagnostic compared with symptoms and spirometry with a BDT. Misdiagnosis may lead to inadequate treatment.

Impact of pharmaceutical care on health outcomes in patients with COPD

BACKGROUND

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment goals are often not achieved despite the availability of many effective treatments. Furthermore, clinical pharmacist interventions to improve clinical and humanistic outcomes in COPD patients have not yet been explored and few randomized controlled trials have been reported to evaluate the impact of pharmaceutical care on health outcomes in patients with COPD.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of pharmaceutical care intervention, with a strong focus on self-management, on a range of clinical and humanistic outcomes in patients with COPD.

SETTING

Outpatient COPD Clinic at the Royal Medical Services Hospital.

METHOD

In a randomised, controlled, prospective clinical trial, a total of 133 COPD patients were randomly assigned to intervention or control group. A structured education about COPD and management of its symptoms was delivered by the clinical pharmacist for patients in the intervention group. Patients were followed up at 6 months during a scheduled visit. Effectiveness of the intervention was assessed in terms of improvement in health-related quality of life, medication adherence, disease knowledge and healthcare utilization. Data collected at baseline and at the 6 month assessment was coded and entered into SPSS(®) software version 17 for statistical analysis. A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

The primary outcome measure was health-related quality of life improvement. All other data collected including healthcare utilization, COPD knowledge and medication adherence formed secondary outcome measures.

RESULTS

A total of 66 patients were randomized to the intervention group and 67 patients were randomized to the control group. Although the current study failed to illustrate significant improvement in health-related quality of life parameters, the results indicated significant improvements in COPD knowledge (P < 0.001), medication adherence (P < 0.05), medication beliefs (P < 0.01) and significant reduction in hospital admission rates (P < 0.05) in intervention patients when compared with control group patients at the end of the study.

CONCLUSION

The enhanced patient outcomes as a result of the pharmaceutical care programme in the present study demonstrate the value of an enhanced clinical pharmacy service in achieving the desired health outcomes for patients with COPD.

Adherence to treatment guidelines and long-term survival in hospitalized patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

RATIONALE AND AIMS

Adherence to treatment guidelines in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been shown to be less than optimal over the COPD continuum. This retrospective study aimed to assess the implementation of COPD guidelines and potential association with long-term mortality in patients with COPD.

METHODS

All consecutive patient discharges in the period of February 2002-June 2007 from the University Clinic of Pulmonary and Allergic Diseases Golnik, Slovenia, were screened for a primary discharge diagnosis of COPD.

RESULTS

Data on 1185 patients (mean age 70 ± 9 years, 72% men, 64% GOLD stage III/IV) were analysed. In the discharge letters 62% of patients had three or more drugs prescribed; 3% had no regular prescription. Most patients were discharged with short-acting (91%) and long-acting β2-agonists (LABAs, 65%) and inhaled corticosteroids (61%), and 23% received long-term oxygen therapy. Prescription rates of LABAs, tiotropium and inhaled corticosteroids increased over the disease continuum (P < 0.001). In total, 48% of patients died during a median follow-up of 1149 days. Deceased patients had been less often treated with LABAs, inhaled corticosteroids and tiotropium. In multivariate Cox proportional-hazards analysis, advanced age, current smoking status, lower body mass index, longer hospital stay and cancer were associated with higher mortality (P < 0.05 for all), and inhaled corticosteroids predicted lower mortality (hazard ratio 0.72, 95% confidence interval 0.55-0.94).

CONCLUSION

Implementation of guideline-recommended therapy was not optimal, particularly in patients who died during follow-up. The high long-term mortality calls for careful risk assessment and appropriate adherence to treatment guidelines.

Socioeconomic status and health-related quality of life of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic status (SES) is an important determinant of health and premature death. However, the impact of poor SES on the health status of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has not been well determined.

OBJECTIVE

It was our aim to assess the impact of SES on the quality of life in COPD patients.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional, observational, multicenter study. A total of 4,574 patients completed the EuroQol 5-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) and the Airways Questionnaire 20 (AQ20). SES was based on the subject's occupation and educational level. Occupational categories were based on the major group classification of the International Standard Classification of Occupations.

RESULTS

The mean age of the population was 67.1 years and the mean forced expiratory volume was 43.4%. There was a gradient of impairment in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) according to the educational level, with significantly worse scores for the EQ-5D and the AQ20 for medium and low educational levels compared with high education (p < 0.001). Similarly, HRQoL was also significantly impaired in more unskilled workers, with a gradient of the AQ20 from 8.6 units (SD 4.8) in class I to 10.1 units (4.6) in class V (p < 0.001) and from 0.75 units in class I to 0.63 units in class V for the EQ-5D index, as well as from 62.9 units in class I to 55.6 units in class V for the EQ-5D visual analogue scale (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). These differences remained significant after controlling for covariates.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with a lower educational level and belonging to the unskilled professional groups had a poorer HRQoL. This is evident even in a country where access to health care services is universal and free.

Does spirometry training in general practice improve quality and outcomes of asthma care?

OBJECTIVE

Clinical asthma guidelines recommend spirometry for asthma diagnosis, but there is inconsistent evidence about benefits to patients in using it for ongoing management. Our aim was to determine whether training in the use of spirometry for management of asthma provided better health outcomes and improved the quality of care in the primary care setting.

DESIGN

Pragmatic, cluster randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

General practices in two states of Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty practices and 397 adults with asthma.

INTERVENTION

The staff of 26 intervention practices received comprehensive spirometry training. Fourteen control practices provided usual care.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary outcome measures were quality of life, self-reported asthma symptoms and lung function. Secondary measures related to the process of care (e.g. performance of spirometry, preparation of a written asthma action plan) and patient and general practitioner rating of the acceptability and usefulness of spirometry.

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant differences between the groups at 12 months for quality of life (mean difference = -0.23; 95% CI: -0.44, -0.01), days off work (rate ratio = 1.52; 95% CI: 0.91, 2.54), exacerbations (rate ratio = 1.09; 95% CI: 0.85, 1.41), asthma on waking (rate ratio = 1.21; 95% CI: 0.79, 1.85), nocturnal asthma (rate ratio = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.63, 1.51) and post-bronchodilator FEV(1)/FVC ratio (mean difference = -0.01, 95% CI: -0.03, 0.02). There was no improvement in the quality of care provided.

CONCLUSIONS

Training in spirometry did not result in any measurable improvement in the use of spirometry, quality of management of asthma or patient outcomes in primary care.

Variation in adherence with Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) drug therapy guidelines: a retrospective actuarial claims data analysis

OBJECTIVES

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an irreversible and often progressive disease that requires lifelong adherence to complicated drug therapy regimens. The well established Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines recommend specific drug therapy protocols, yet patient adherence to drug therapy and physician adherence to prescribing guidelines is reported to be suboptimal. In this claims based analysis of COPD patients, drug therapy treatment patterns including inhaled corticosteroids and long acting bronchodilator use were evaluated by COPD severity level.

METHODS

A cohort of patients with COPD (without co-existing asthma) was identified in Thomas Reuters MarketScan Commercial Database 2007 (diagnosis codes 491.xx, 492.xx, 496.xx). Using one year (2007) of claims data, a COPD severity risk score was calculated for each patient using established claim logic. Severity levels of mild, moderate, severe, and very severe were established to mimic the GOLD severity levels. Each patient's claim experience was examined for inhaled corticosteroid and long acting bronchodilator use for compliance with GOLD guidelines.

RESULTS

Prevalence of COPD (without co-existing asthma) was 0.7% (44,366 cases). The distribution of COPD subjects into claim based severity levels was 30% mild, 53% moderate, 14% severe and 3% very severe. Claims for inhaled corticosteroid therapy were identified for 8% of mild and 19% of moderate COPD patients; claims for short acting bronchodilator therapy without concomitant use of long acting bronchodilators were identified for 20% of moderate, 14% of severe and 8% of very severe COPD patients; and claims for single long acting bronchodilator therapy in combination with inhaled corticosteroid therapy were identified for 12% of moderate, 19% of severe and 2% of very severe COPD patients.

CONCLUSIONS

This analysis suggests less than optimal compliance with recommended drug therapy treatment for COPD patients based on GOLD guidelines. This study further suggests the utility of claims data analyses for providing reasonable aggregate distributions of COPD severity which allows for health plans and disease management programs to stratify COPD patients by severity level and examine opportunities for improved drug therapy management. Study findings should be considered in the context of the study limitations.

Inappropriate overuse of inhaled corticosteroids for COPD patients: impact on health costs and health status

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between inappropriate overuse of inhaled corticosteroids and self-reported health status and the annual cost of patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) recruited in the primary-care setting. An observational, crossover, descriptive study was conducted. Patients with stable COPD and aged ≥40 years, evaluated in primary care, were included. Data collected were demographic variables, clinical characteristics, self-reported health status (SF-12), the severity of the illness, treatment, and health-care resource utilization in the past year. The patients were recruited during a period of 3 months (from January 1 to March 31, 2003). Use was considered inappropriate when corticosteroids were prescribed by physicians for patients not meeting criteria for its use as recommended in guidelines. A total of 10,711 patients [75.6% males; mean age = 67.1 (SD = 9.66) years] were evaluated. Disease severity was mild in 35.5% of the cases, moderate in 53.4%, and severe in 11.2%. Among them, 3,697 (34.5%) subjects were prescribed inhaled corticosteroids or drug combinations containing such therapies, with a rate of inappropriate use of 18.2%. Physical health status was significantly lower among patients showing inappropriate corticosteroids use: 37.35 (SD = 9.53) vs. 40.7 (SD = 9.80) (p < 0.05). The annual cost per patient of COPD management was significantly higher in the group with inappropriate inhaled corticosteroids use: <euro>1,590 (SD = 1,834) vs. <euro>1,157 (SD = 1,536) (p < 0.05). Factors statistically associated with inappropriate use of corticosteroids were educational attainment [OR: 2.77 (95% CI: 1.36-5.63) for nonuniversity training], a history of heart disease [OR: 1.42 (95% CI: 1.02-1.97)], depression [OR: 1.47 (95% CI: 1.05-2.05)], any allergy [OR 1.69 (95% CI: 1.13-2.54)], and physical health status [OR 0.97 (95% CI: 0.96-0.98)]. Lack of adherence to the recommended criteria for using inhaled corticosteroids therapy in the management of COPD patients was associated with lower self-reported health status and higher costs. Factors statistically associated with inappropriate use of corticosteroids were educational attainment, a history of heart disease, depression, any allergy, and physical health status.

Variability in the performing of spirometry and its consequences in the treatment of COPD in primary care

BACKGROUND

Several studies have approached the use of spirometry in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Primary Care (PC), but few have analysed its impact on the treatment of the patient with COPD.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the use of spirometry in the diagnosis and follow-up of COPD patients in PC, and its impact on treatment. To analyse the variation in the performing of spirometry between PC centres.

METHODOLOGY

A multicentre, observational and cross-sectional study of COPD patients seen in PC in Catalonia (Spain) during 2004-2005. A multilevel logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with having spirometry and to determine the variation between the different centres.

RESULTS

Twenty-one centres which included 801 patients took part. Only 53.2% of them had a diagnostic spirometer available and the mean (standard deviation) FEV1(%) was 54.8% (18%). The registers of smoking habits, complementary tests and spirometry follow-up were more common among patients who had a diagnostic spirometry available compared to those who did not. No statistically significant differences were found as regards demographic, clinical, treatment and quality of life variables between patients with and without follow-up spirometry. Significant variation was observed in the percentage of diagnostic spirometries between different PC centres (variance=0.217; p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Spirometry is underused in PC and performing it during follow-up is not associated to the different treatments received, or with a more complete approach to the disease. There is significant variation in the performing of spirometry among PC centres.

New horizons in early stage COPD--improving knowledge, detection and treatment

Early stage COPD carries a significant healthcare burden that is currently underrecognised, underdiagnosed and undertreated. Furthermore, patients at this stage can rapidly decline to advanced disease, especially if they continue to smoke. The natural history of the disease in early stages remains largely unknown, and emerging evidence indicates that we are able to reduce lung function decline and exacerbations, and improve quality of life, in early stage COPD, mainly through smoking cessation. But new evidence from randomised clinical trials also suggests an impact of pharmacotherapy on clinical outcomes in early disease. Guidelines need to be updated to reflect this greater understanding of early stage disease, and trials need to be conducted to definitively show the benefits of intensive treatment so that we can meet the large, unmet clinical needs of this important patient group.

Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in primary care setting in Spain: the EPOCAP study

BACKGROUND

The present study was designed to describe the clinical profile of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the treatment prescribed by primary care physicians (PCPs) in Spain.

METHOD

An observational, multicenter and cross-sectional study was performed in patients diagnosed with acute exacerbation of COPD and treated by PCPs. Patients diagnosed with asthma, cystic fibrosis, significant bronchiectasis or pneumonia were not included in the study.

RESULTS

A total of 329 general physicians recruited 1088 evaluable patients across the country. Mean age was 66.5+/-10.2 years; male : female ratio was 3 : 1. Spirometry was performed in 28.3% of the patients. The number of acute exacerbations in the last year was 3.3+/-2.5; 88.7% had increased expectoration, 87.5% increased dyspnea, 64.4% increased sputum purulence, and 43.5% fever. A total of 6.1% (n = 59) of patients were hospitalized due to exacerbation. The most frequently prescribed medications were antibiotics (84.5%, n = 919), mucolytic agents (72.5%, n = 789), inhaled corticosteroids (ICs) (71.3%, n = 776), and short-acting beta-adrenergic drugs (67.8%, n = 738). Oral corticosteroids were prescribed to 436 patients (40.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical profile of acute exacerbations of COPD treated in a primary care setting in Spain was characterized by shortness of breath and increased sputum production. Patients were managed by PCP mainly in outpatient clinics with antibiotics, mucolytic agents, inhaled corticosteroids, oral corticosteroids and short-acting beta-adrenergic agents. The percentage of patients with confirmed diagnosis of COPD by pulmonary function tests was very low.

Acute exacerbations of COPD: recommendations for integrated care

Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPDs) are significant events that come with high costs for patients and for society. Initial management of exacerbations consists of pharmacotherapy and a reassessment of pre-existing management and self-management strategies. Currently, care for AECOPDs is often suboptimal. Integrated care consisting of self-management support, delivery system design, decision support and clinical information systems will probably improve the quality of healthcare delivery for patients with AECOPDs. In this review, we summarize current knowledge related to the epidemiology and management of AECOPDs, identify shortcomings in current clinical practice and give recommendations for innovative, integrated and optimized care for these patients.

Burden of COPD in a government health care system: a retrospective observational study using data from the US Veterans Affairs population

Background

Health care utilization and costs among US veterans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were compared with those in veterans without COPD.

Methods

A cohort of veterans with COPD was matched for age, sex, race, and index fiscal year to a cohort of veterans without COPD (controls) using data from the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 16 from 10/1/1997 to 9/30/2004. Annual total and respiratory-related health care service utilization, costs of care, comorbidities, and respiratory medication use at the time of diagnosis were assessed.

Results

A total of 59,906 patients with COPD were identified for a 7-year period prevalence of 8.2%, or 82 per 1000 population. Patients with COPD compared with controls had significantly higher all-cause and respiratory-related inpatient and outpatient health care utilization for every parameter examined including mean numbers of physician encounters, other outpatient encounters, emergency room visits, acute inpatient discharges, total bed days of care, and percentage of patients with any emergency room visits or any acute inpatient discharge. Patients with COPD had statistically significantly higher mean outpatient, inpatient, pharmacy, and total costs than the control group. The mean Charlson comorbidity index in patients with COPD was 1 point higher than in controls (2.85 versus 1.84, P < 0.001). 60% of COPD patients were prescribed medications recommended in treatment guidelines at diagnosis.

Conclusion

Veterans with COPD compared with those without COPD suffer a tremendous disease burden manifested by higher rates of all-cause and respiratory-related health care utilization and costs and a high prevalence of comorbidities. Furthermore, COPD patients do not receive appropriate treatment for their disease on diagnosis.

COPD Management in Primary Care: An Observational, Community Pharmacy–Based Study

Background:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent disease that is frequently treated in primary care. However, data regarding the primary care management of COPD are scarce. Such observational data are necessary to detect problem areas and to develop targeted interventions for improvement of COPD management.

Objective:

To provide a detailed description of (1) drug therapy, (2) drug adherence, (3) inhalation technique, and (4) health status of patients with COPD recruited via community pharmacies.

Methods:

A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted in 93 pharmacies in Belgium. Participants (N = 555) completed a questionnaire collecting information on personal characteristics, smoking history, influenza vaccination, COPD medication, and adverse effects. Adherence to COPD maintenance medication was analyzed 1 year retrospectively through prescription refill rates. Inhalation technique was scored using a checklist. Health status was evaluated with the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire, the Clinical COPD Questionnaire, and the Modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale.

Results:

The mean age of the patients was 68.6 years; 73.7% were men and 37.2% were current smokers. The influenza vaccination status was significantly lower in patients aged less than 65 years (65.7%) than in patients aged 65 years or more (86.2%) (p < 0.001). Fixed combinations of inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting β2-agonists were the most frequently used COPD medications (75.4%). About 48% of patients were underadherent (<80% adherence), 47% were adherent (80–120% adherence) and 5% were overadherent (>120% adherence). Predictors for underadherence were age and number of drugs. Twenty-one percent of patients made major inhalation technique errors with rescue medication; these were all errors in handling pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs).

Conclusions:

This observational study on COPD management in primary care highlights 4 main aspects that could be improved: (1) drug adherence, (2) inhalation technique with pMDIs, (3) influenza vaccination in COPD patients younger than 65 years, and (4) smoking cessation.

Evaluation of a combined strategy directed towards health-care professionals and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): information and health education feedback for improving clinical monitoring and quality-of-life

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a health problem that is becoming increasingly attended-to in Primary Care (PC). However, there is a scarcity of health-care programs and studies exploring the implementation of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG). The principal objective of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a combined strategy directed towards health-care professionals and patients to improve the grade of clinical control and the quality-of-life (QoL) of the patients via a feedback on their state-of-health. A training plan for the health-care professionals is based on CPG and health education.

Method/Design

Multi-centred, before-after, quasi experimental, prospective study involving an intervention group and a control group of individuals followed-up for 12 months. The patients receive attention from urban and semi-urban Primary Care Centres (PCC) within the administrative area of the Costa de Ponent (near Barcelona). All the pacients corresponding to the PCC of one sub-area were assigned to the intervention group and patients from the rest of sub-areas to the group control. The intervention includes providing data to the health-care professionals (clinician/nurse) derived from a clinical history and an interview. A course of training focused on aspects of CPG, motivational interview and health education (tobacco, inhalers, diet, physical exercise, physiotherapy). The sample random includes a total of 801 patients (≥ 40 years of age), recorded as having COPD, receiving attention in the PCC or at home, who have had at least one clinical visit, and who provided written informed consent to participation in the study. Data collected include socio-demographic characteristics, drug treatment, exacerbations and hospital admissions, evaluation of inhaler use, tobacco consumption and life-style and health-care resources consumed. The main endpoints are dyspnoea, according to the modified scale of the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the QoL, evaluated with the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). The variables are obtained at the start and the end of the intervention. Information from follow-up visits focuses on the changes in life-style activities of the patient.

Discussion

This study is conducted with the objective of generating evidence that shows that implementation of awareness programs directed towards health-care professionals as well as patients in the context of PC can produce an increase in the QoL and a decrease in the disease exacerbation, compared to standard clinical practice.

Trial Registration

Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT00922545;