Abstract
Rationale: A systematic review of the published medical literature was conducted to compare reported hospitalization and mortality rates in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) populations in North America and Europe.
Methods: Literature indexed in the PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched and reference lists from selected studies were evaluated. Articles were included if they identified a COPD study population from ≥1 country of interest. Population characteristics, disease information, outcomes, and outcome rates were extracted.
Results: More than 4000 unique studies were found; 16 met inclusion criteria for analysis. Reported COPD hospitalization rates were similar between studies in US and Canadian populations (Table). Apart from Spain, all-cause hospitalization rates were similar for studies of COPD populations across North America and Europe. Reported all-cause mortality rates were similar for COPD populations in the USA, Canada, and UK.
Conclusions: Reported rates of all-cause hospitalizations and all-cause mortality in COPD populations in North America and Europe are similar.
- © 2013 ERS