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Published on: August 24, 2019
Patterns of healthcare utilization by COPD severity: a pilot study
Min J Joo1, Todd A Lee, Brian Bartle
1Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 840 S. Wood St., M/C 719, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. joo@uic.edu
Lung
|May 9, 2008
Summary
Patients with symptoms but no airflow obstruction, formerly GOLD stage 0, show significant healthcare use and poorer health status. This "at risk" group warrants further investigation for optimal chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Healthcare Management
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Global Initiative on Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines no longer include Stage 0 (symptomatic without airflow obstruction).
- This
- at risk
- group may still be diagnosed and managed in clinical practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize healthcare utilization patterns in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients by disease severity.
- To identify unique attributes of patients classified as formerly GOLD Stage 0.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort pilot study involving 120 COPD patients.
- Assessment of quality of life, pulmonary function, and healthcare utilization (outpatient visits, hospitalizations) over 1 year prior and 2 years post-enrollment.
- Comparison of three groups: formerly GOLD Stage 0 (
- at risk
- ), GOLD Stage 1-2 (GS 1-2), and GOLD Stage 3-4 (GS 3-4).
Main Results:
- The
- at risk
- group exhibited higher average outpatient visits and hospitalizations than other groups, though not statistically significant.
- Respiratory medication use increased with disease severity (26% in
- at risk
- to 91% in GS 3-4).
- Patients in the
- at risk
- group experienced a decline in health status and significant healthcare service utilization.
Conclusions:
- Formerly GOLD Stage 0 COPD patients demonstrate a significant healthcare burden and impaired health status.
- This
- at risk
- population often receives guideline-inconsistent medication, highlighting a need for tailored management strategies.
- Further research is warranted to optimize care for patients with symptoms but without confirmed airflow obstruction.
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