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Healthcare utilization among patients with vocal cord dysfunction
Shannon Munro Cohen1, Elaine Bellucci
1Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salem, VA 24153, USA. shannon.cohen@va.gov
Nursing Forum
|August 3, 2011
Summary
Patients with vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) use fewer asthma medications and healthcare resources than those with asthma. Proper diagnosis and management, including allergy immunotherapy, are key for VCD patients.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Allergy and Immunology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Acute asthma-like symptoms cause patient anxiety, leading to misdiagnosis and overuse of asthma medications.
- Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) accounts for 15% of dyspnea on exertion referrals and frequent emergency visits.
Purpose of the Study:
- Compare healthcare utilization in patients with VCD versus asthma.
- Characterize demographics of patients with VCD and asthma receiving outpatient specialty care.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of 285 participants with VCD, asthma, or both (2007-2009).
- Analysis using descriptive statistics, chi-square, and Poisson regression.
Main Results:
- VCD patients had fewer outpatient visits and less inhaled controller medication use than asthma patients.
- No ER visits or hospitalizations reported for VCD patients.
- VCD patients were more likely to receive anxiety/depression medication; nearly half used allergy immunotherapy.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare providers should reduce unnecessary inhaler prescriptions for VCD patients without asthma.
- Specialty consultation is crucial to confirm or rule out asthma in VCD patients.
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