Differences in COPD care among doctors who control the disease: general practitioner vs. pneumologist

To assess the role of doctors who patients report as responsible of their disease, in moderate-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), describing characteristics of patients and treatments use according to each type of doctor, and relating it to the way of access to hospital at the time of an exacerbation.

A systematic sample of 1:2 patients admitted for a COPD exacerbation during 1 year in four tertiary hospitals in the Barcelona area, Spain, was recruited. Information about health services was obtained by an administered questionnaire.

A total of 346 patients were recruited: mean age 69 (+/-9) years, percent of predicted FEV(1) of 35 (+/-16)%, PO(2) of 64 (+/-13)mmHg. At the time of admission, 17% of patients reported being controlled by a general practitioner (GP) and 56% by a pneumologist whereas 21% reported its COPD not being under the regular control of any doctor. Patients not controlled by a pneumologist did not suffer from milder COPD than the remaining, but were less likely to receive pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments and less likely to perform correctly the inhalation manoeuvres. During the course of the exacerbation 70% of patients reported a visit to a hospital emergency room department without a previous medical visit, this proportion being higher among those controlled by a pneumologist.

Lack of control and variability in the patterns of care among patients controlled by different types of physicians are common in moderate-to-severe COPD patients admitted for a COPD exacerbation, despite the lack of differences in COPD severity. Medical control of COPD patients needs more investigation and a wider inclusion in international guidelines.