Treatment patterns for patients hospitalized with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Medication treatment patterns for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in inpatient settings were examined, as were the characteristics of patients treated with long-acting bronchodilators (LABDs) during hospitalization.

This retrospective study was conducted using inpatient administrative data from hospitals and medical centers nationwide. All patients discharged from the hospital from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2012, who were at least 40 years of age, had a primary discharge diagnosis of COPD or a secondary diagnosis of COPD with a primary diagnosis of a respiratory condition, and treatment with a bronchodilator were included. Treatment patterns were described for inpatient use of medications, including short-acting β-agonists (SABAs), long-acting β-agonists (LABAs), short-acting muscarinic antagonists (SAMAs), and long-acting muscarinic antagonists. Logistic regression predicted characteristics of patients receiving LABDs.

Only 5.5% of patients did not receive an SABA during the hospitalization: 71.7% received a single-product SABA, and 46.4% received an SABA-SAMA combination product, with some patients switching between or using SABA and SABA-SAMA combinations concurrently. Most patients (80.9%) received systemic corticosteroids, and nearly all (91.6%) were treated with antibiotics. Only 52.2% of patients received LABDs (39.3% LABAs). Patients treated with LABDs were more likely to have a primary COPD diagnosis, prior hospitalizations, spirometry use, and fewer comorbidities.

A review of COPD-related inpatient admissions found that the majority of patients received the primary recommended treatments for acute exacerbations of COPD (SABAs, systemic corticosteroids, and antibiotics). However, maintenance therapy had been initiated for only about half of patients before discharge.