Abstract

Introduction: Only a selected proportion of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients are managed in secondary care. The aim of this study was to characterize disease severity, treatment and structure of secondary care for COPD in Sweden.

Methods: Information was collected from 29 of 33 existing secondary care units of respiratory medicine in Sweden, using both individual data from 373 consecutively enrolled COPD patients with Global initiative on Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage III–IV and a structural questionnaire about available resources at the units. Patient data included exacerbations, health status assessed by COPD Assessment Test (CAT), lung function, comorbid conditions, pharmacological treatment and vaccinations. Structural data included available smoking cessation support, multidisciplinary rehabilitation, physical training, patient education and routine follow-up after exacerbations at the respective unit. All patients were reclassified according to the GOLD 2014 group A–D classification. Multiple linear regression investigated associations of available resources with number of exacerbations and CAT score.

Results: According to GOLD 2014, 87% of the population were GOLD D and 13% were GOLD C. Triple inhaled therapy were prescribed in 88% of the patients. Over 75% of the units had resources for smoking cessation, multidisciplinary rehabilitation, physical training and patient education. Routine follow-up after exacerbations was available in 35% of the units. Being managed at units with access to structured patient education was associated with statistically significantly fewer exacerbations (adjusted regression coefficient (95% confidence interval) −0.79 (−1.39 to −0.19), p = 0.010).

Conclusion: Most stage III–IV COPD patients managed at secondary care respiratory units in Sweden have maximized inhaled therapy and high risk disease even when reclassified according to GOLD 2014. Most units have access to smoking cessation, rehabilitation and patient education. Patients managed at units with structured patient education have a lower exacerbation risk.

Details

Title
Characterization of secondary care for COPD in Sweden
Author
Sundh, Josefin 1 ; Janson, Christer 2 ; Johansson, Gunnar 3 ; Lindén, Anders 4 ; Claes-Göran Löfdahl 5 ; Sandström, Thomas 6 ; Larsson, Kjell 4 

 Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden 
 Department of Medical Sciences: Respiratory; Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden 
 Department of Public Health and Caring Science, Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden 
 Unit for Lung and Airway Research, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden 
 Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden 
 Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Division of Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden 
Publication year
2017
Publication date
Dec 2017
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Ltd.
e-ISSN
20018525
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2465990786
Copyright
© 2017 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.