[Economic burden of COPD: the SCOPE study]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major health problem. Few data about COPD economic burden are available.

SCOPE was an observational economical retrospective and prospective study conducted in France in 2001, by 114 general practitioners (GPs) and 57 lung specialists. The aim was to describe the burden of COPD patients and to estimate the annual cost according to severity stages. Health resource utilization was collected by questionnaires over a 12-month period for 285 patients.

It was a cost-of-illness analysis. COPD patients followed by a lung specialist were more severe than patients followed by a GP and had a higher level of medical resource consumption. The COPD disease and its complications explained 66% of the total cost. The main cost drivers were inpatient care (35%, or 1509,9 euros/year/patient) and prescription medications (31%, or 1340,6 euros/year/patient). The direct total cost varied according to COPD severity on account of inpatient care and respiratory assistance.

This study confirmed the economic burden of COPD in France. Actions allowed to slow down the disease's evolution and to anticipate the exacerbation could reduce the cost.