PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Gail South
AU  - Orla Reddington
AU  - Lisa Hatfield
AU  - Alison Phillips
AU  - Hannah Wall
TI  - End of life in COPD: There may be no surprises!
DP  - 2011 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - p1241
VI  - 38
IP  - Suppl 55
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p1241.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p1241.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2011 Sep 01; 38
AB  - Background: In the UK prognostic indicators have been developed for predicting end of life (EOL) in COPD.We report on the prevalence of these indicators in patients admitted to a nurse led unit for people with acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD).Methods: Data on general and COPD specific prognostic indicators plus the surprise question were collected on all admissions Aug 2010 to Jan 2011.Results: Total 199 patients (54%F). Mean age 70 (37-93)In 96 (48%) cases the clinician would not have been surprised if the patient died in the next 6-12 months. In only 5 of these instances were no other prognostic indicators identified (positive predictive value of negative response 95%)174 (87%) had at least 1 prognostic indicator identified at the time of admission.View this table:Prognostic indicators and surprise questionOf the 15 deaths so far there was a negative response to the surprise question in 14 and in all at least 1 other prognostic indicator was present.Conclusions: Prognostic indicators were present in 87% of patients admitted.The surprise question should form part of admission assessment.It is too early to say which prognostic indicators are important in predicting EOL.