PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Rouis, Houda
AU  - Kwas, Hamida
AU  - Loued, Lobna
AU  - Khattab, Amel
AU  - Zendah, Ines
AU  - Ghedira, Habib
TI  - Factors acting on the duration of hospitalization in COPD
AID  - 10.1183/1393003.congress-2017.PA3629
DP  - 2017 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - PA3629
VI  - 50
IP  - suppl 61
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/50/suppl_61/PA3629.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/50/suppl_61/PA3629.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2017 Sep 01; 50
AB  - Introduction: Hospitalization in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients represents an event that alters the quality of life of the patients and increases the cost of the disease.Aim: To determine the factors influencing the duration of hospitalization among COPD patients for exacerbation.Methods: Comparative retrospective study, including 154 cases of COPD patients hospitalized in our department for COPD exacerbation between 1999 and 2015. Two groups were defined: G1 (n=133): duration of hospitalization> 5 days; G2 (n= 21): duration of hospitalization ≤ 5 days.Results: The average hospital stay was 16.9 days (6-64 days) in G1 versus 4.1 days (2-5 days) in G2. G1 patients were younger (G1: 65 years vs. G2: 70 years; p=0.05). No differences were found for gender nor comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, asthma, heart disease, and anemia) nor smoking. There was a significant statistical relationship between hypercapnia (G1: 51.1% vs G2: 52.2 %; p=0,013), respiratory acidosis (G1: 35.9% vs G2: 14.3%; p=0.001) and longer hospital stay. The use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV), which was more frequent in the G1, increased the length of hospital stay (G1: 28.2% vs G2: 19%; p = 0.03). Neither FEV1 nor the stage of COPD had a significant change on the duration of hospitalization.Conclusion: The duration of hospitalization appears to be longer in younger subjects, in case of hypercapnia, respiratory acidosis and the use of the NIV. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize these factors in order to optimize care and reduce costs related to COPD.