PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Abdellatif Med Bennani
AU  - Fatima Zohra Drissi
AU  - Souad Kebbati
AU  - Malika Guermaz
TI  - Assessment of the COPD patients' care: An audit of clinical practice
DP  - 2013 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - P2381
VI  - 42
IP  - Suppl 57
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P2381.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P2381.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2013 Sep 01; 42
AB  - Introduction: The care of COPD remains serious and insufficient despite the guidelines dissemination. Its morbidity is ever-increasing.Aims: To evaluate the COPD patients’ care in clinical practice.Methods: An audit achieved through a questionnaire sent to all physicians’ pulmonologists (PP) and general practitioners (GPs) in the North West Algerian taking care of the COPD patients.Results: Two hundred and sixty eight practitioners participated in this study, 194 GPs and 74 pulmonologists with a respective response rate of 46 and 74%. Smoking status systematically searched for each examination by 70% of GPs and 95% of PP. 25% of GPs and 13% of PP track down the COPD from the age of 50. Cough and expectoration among smokers are searched systematically by 69% of GPs and 74% of PP. Dyspnea is searched systematically by 57% of GPs and 78% of PP. Only 20% of GPs and 51% of PP use dyspnea’s rating scales.The access to spirometry is easy for 20% of GPs and 85% of PP. 40% of GPs and 80% of PP regularly ask for a spirometric test patients’ observation. In practice, the diagnosis of COPD is based on symptoms alone in over 1/3 of MG. Only 38% of GPs and 68% of PP use guides for the care of COPD. Comorbidities linked to COPD are routinely sought by 44% MG and 69% PP. All practitioners declared that they never assess the impact of COPD on patients' sexuality. Anxiety is sought by 76% of GPs and 73% of PP. Depression is sought by 56% of GPs and 55.4% of PP. Physical activity is routinely recommended by 36% of GPs and 42% of PP. Flu vaccine is routinely recommended by 57% of GPs and 65% of PP. 22% GPS and 8% of PP prescribe long-term oral corticosteroids in combination with LABA for patients with frequent exacerbations.