RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Diagnosis of COPD exacerbations on hospital admission: Results from the European COPD audit
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 400
VO 38
IS Suppl 55
A1 Sylvia Hartl
A1 Jose Lopez-Campos
A1 Mike Roberts
A1 Moniek Haan
A1 Robab Breyer-Kohansal
A1 Wim Jansen
A1 Neven Miculinic
A1 Nikos Tzanakis
A1 Suzanne McCormack
A1 Joanna Chorostowska
A1 Ivan Solovic
A1 Francisco Pozo-Rodríguez
A1 Daiana Stolz
A1 Mehmet Polati
A1 Sally Welham
A1 Cynthia Farrugia Jones
A1 Florin Mihaltan
YR 2011
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/400.abstract
AB Background: The suspicion of COPD in acute admissions for exacerbation is based on clinical findings and supporting test results. The features of patients with suspected COPD and the results of the main diagnostic tests in 13 European countries have been evaluated.Methodology: Prospective observational study in which all participating hospitals collected data from all COPD admissions during a 60 d period. The preliminary results of 8,664 (73.6%) completed records out of 11,765 study cases are reported.Results: Patient characteristics: mean age 70.5±10 yrs.; 67% male; mean BMI: 26±8.9 kg/m2, 28.5% current smokers; mean 51±37.2pack-years. Spirometry (recorded within last 6 month) in 48.2% (mean FEV1 41.9±19.2% predicted). Symptoms distribution and the availability of diagnostic tests is reflected in the figures.Figure 1. Mean values from 13 European countries.The classical triad of symptoms was reported in 40.2% of the pts. BGA on admission was measured in 74% and chest-x-ray was performed in 86.6% of the pts.Conclusion: These results help us characterise unselected COPD exacerbations as seen in clinical practice. Whilst most are admitted with dyspnea, only a minority shows the classical triad of symptoms. The high number of current smokers and the low availability of spirometry suggest to improve implementation of evidence based interventions. The severe stage of COPD in the majority of hospital admissions would justify BGA and x-ray in all patients.