ABSTRACT
Introduction: Clinical guidelines recommend the combined use of "self-completed questionnaires such as the Test of Adherence to Inhalers (TAI)" and the pharmacy refill rate (PRR) to determine adherence, but evidence based on comparative studies to support these recommendations is limited. Our objective was to determine adherence to inhalers in asthmatic patients, using the TAI and the PRR, as well as the correlation and concordance between both methods. Methods: Multicentre cross-sectional study including the first 196 consecutive adult asthmatic patients, of whom 183 were on maintenance treatment with Inhaled Corticosteroids (ICS). Nonadherence was defined as TAI < 50 or PRR < 80% in the previous 12 months. Results: A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between TAI and PRR scores (Spearman's rho coefficient = 0.185; p = 0.012). Prevalence of nonadherence based on TAI was 73.22%; 95%CI (66.54-79.91) and 57.92%; 95%CI (50.50-65.35) based on PRR was. In terms of agreement, a Cohen's kappa index = 0.174 and an overall % agreement of 61.7% were obtained. Twenty-two of the 49 patients who scored 50 on TAI (44.9%) refilled < 80% of inhalers. In contrast, 48 of the 134 patients who scored ≤ 49 on TAI (35.8%) refilled ≥ 80% at the pharmacy. Conclusions: Adherence remains suboptimal with prevalences of nonadherent patients > 50%. The concordance results supports, in line with guideline recommendations, that the use of both approaches (TAI and PRR) increases the ability to identify poor adherence compared to TAI or PRR alone.
ABSTRACT
Few studies have researched the independent effect of COPD severity on the risk of future exacerbations adjusted by previous exacerbation frequency. We aimed to analyse the independent effect of COPD severity on the risk of exacerbations in the following year, and whether this effect was stronger or not than the effect of a previous history of exacerbations. We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study including 900 patients with confirmed COPD. Exacerbation frequency was observed for the previous year and for the following year. Patients were defined as 'Frequent Exacerbator' (FE) phenotype if they suffered ⩾2 exacerbations in a year, and were categorised according to the severity of COPD (GOLD Grades 1-4). Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated by logistic regression adjusting for age, gender, smoking status, severity of COPD and being FE in the previous year. The main predictor of being FE among all grades of COPD severity was a history of frequent exacerbations in the previous year: adjusted OR 4.97; 95% confidence interval (CI) (3.54-6.97). COPD severity was associated with a higher risk of being FE: Crude OR GOLD Grade 4 3.86; 95% CI (1.50-9.93). However, this association diminished after adjusting for being FE in the previous year: adjusted OR 2.08; 95% CI (0.75-5.82). Our results support that a history of frequent exacerbations in the previous year is the most important independent predictor of exacerbations in the following year, also among the most severe COPD patients. Severity of COPD would be associated with a higher risk of exacerbations, but this effect would be partly determined by the exacerbations suffered in the previous year.
Subject(s)
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/etiology , Aged , Disease Progression , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Severity of Illness Index , Smoking/adverse effectsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) carry significant consequences for patients and are responsible for considerable health-care costs-particularly if hospitalization is required. Despite the importance of hospitalized exacerbations, relatively little is known about their determinants. This study aimed to analyze predictors of hospitalized exacerbations and mortality in COPD patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective population-based cohort study. We selected 900 patients with confirmed COPD aged ≥35 years by simple random sampling among all COPD patients in Cantabria (northern Spain) on December 31, 2011. We defined moderate exacerbations as events that led a care provider to prescribe antibiotics or corticosteroids and severe exacerbations as exacerbations requiring hospital admission. We observed exacerbation frequency over the previous year (2011) and following year (2012). We categorized patients according to COPD severity based on forced expiratory volume in 1 second (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease [GOLD] grades 1-4). We estimated the odds ratios (ORs) by logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, COPD severity, and frequent exacerbator phenotype the previous year. RESULTS: Of the patients, 16.4% had ≥1 severe exacerbations, varying from 9.3% in mild GOLD grade 1 to 44% in very severe COPD patients. A history of at least two prior severe exacerbations was positively associated with new severe exacerbations (adjusted OR, 6.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.53-12.83) and mortality (adjusted OR, 7.63; 95%CI, 3.41-17.05). Older age and several comorbidities, such as heart failure and diabetes, were similarly associated. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalized exacerbations occurred with all grades of airflow limitation. A history of severe exacerbations was associated with new hospitalized exacerbations and mortality.
Subject(s)
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/mortality , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Disease Progression , Female , Forced Expiratory Volume , Hospitalization , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/diagnosis , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/physiopathology , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Severity of Illness Index , SpainABSTRACT
Objetivo: Determinar la prevalencia de vacunación antigripal en una muestra poblacional de pacientes EPOC y la efectividad de la vacunación. Metodología: Estudio de cohortes retrospectivo. Se identificaron los antecedentes de vacunación antigripal (campaña 2011-2012) en 899 pacientes con EPOC confirmada obtenidos mediante muestreo aleatorio simple a partir de todos los EPOC identificados a 31 de diciembre de 2011 en Cantabria. Las agudizaciones graves (ingresos por agudización EPOC) y la mortalidad por todas las causas durante el año 2012 fueron tratadas como variables dependientes, calculándose odds ratios ajustadas (ORa) como medida de asociación y fracciones de prevención ajustadas en los expuestos (PFe-ajustada) como medida de impacto. Resultados: La prevalencia global de vacunación fue del 62,7%. Esta prevalencia fue menor en EPOC muy grave en base al FEV1 (52,0%). La vacunación antigripal mostró un efecto protector estadísticamente significativo sobre el riesgo de agudizaciones graves al año siguiente: ORa: 0,54 (IC 95%: 0,35-0,84); PFe-ajustada: 0,46 (IC 95%: 0,16-0,65). El riesgo de mortalidad fue menor, pero sin alcanzar significación estadística: Ora: 0,76 (IC 95%: 0,41-1,40). Al estratificar en función de la gravedad de la EPOC, el efecto protector para el riesgo de ingreso por agudización fue mayor en EPOC más graves: Ora: 0,23 (IC 95%: 0,11-0,48); PFe-ajustada: 0,77 (IC 95%: 0,52-0,89). Conclusiones: Nuestros resultados apoyan el efecto protector de la vacunación antigripal, disminuyendo el riesgo de ingreso por agudización. A pesar de nuestros resultados protectores, la prevalencia global de vacunación antigripal fue subóptima, especialmente en los EPOC con un estadio más grave
Objective: To determine the prevalence of influenza vaccination in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, and the effectiveness of the procedure. Methods: Retrospective population-based cohort study. On 31 December 2011, influenza vaccination history was retrieved from 899 patients with confirmed COPD selected by simple random sampling from all COPD patients in Cantabria (northern Spain). Severe exacerbations (hospitalization due to COPD exacerbation) and overall mortality during 2012 were treated as dependent variables. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated by logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, severity of COPD, and frequency of exacerbations during the previous year. Prevented fraction among the exposed (PFe-adjusted) was determined as a measure of impact. Results: Overall prevalence of influenza vaccination was 62.7%, but this rate fell in patients classified as more severe according to FEV1 (52.0%). Influenza vaccination showed a statistically significant protective effect against severe exacerbations in the following year: Ora: 0.54 (95% CI: 0.35-0.84); FPe-adjusted: 0.46 (95% CI: 0.16-0.65). A non-significant protective effect for overall mortality was observed: Ora: 0.76 (95% CI: 0.41-1.40). When stratified according to COPD severity (FEV1), the protective effect against risk of hospitalization was higher in more severe COPD patients: Ora: 0.23 (95% CI: 0.11-0.48); FPe-adjusted: 0.77 (95% CI: 0.52-0.89). Conclusions: We found that influenza vaccination has a protective effect and reduces the risk of hospitalization due to exacerbations in the following year. Despite the evidence for protection, prevalence of vaccination was not optimal, especially in more severe COPD patients
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Influenza Vaccines/administration & dosage , Influenza Vaccines/therapeutic use , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/epidemiology , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/immunology , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/prevention & control , Vaccination/methods , Vaccination/trends , Pneumonia, Pneumococcal/complications , Pneumonia, Pneumococcal/immunology , Primary Prevention/methods , Primary Prevention/trends , Retrospective Studies , Cohort Studies , Mass Vaccination/methods , Mass Vaccination/trendsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of influenza vaccination in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, and the effectiveness of the procedure. METHODS: Retrospective population-based cohort study. On 31 December 2011, influenza vaccination history was retrieved from 899 patients with confirmed COPD selected by simple random sampling from all COPD patients in Cantabria (northern Spain). Severe exacerbations (hospitalization due to COPD exacerbation) and overall mortality during 2012 were treated as dependent variables. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated by logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, severity of COPD, and frequency of exacerbations during the previous year. Prevented fraction among the exposed (PFe-adjusted) was determined as a measure of impact. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of influenza vaccination was 62.7%, but this rate fell in patients classified as more severe according to FEV1 (52.0%). Influenza vaccination showed a statistically significant protective effect against severe exacerbations in the following year: Ora: 0.54 (95%CI: 0.35-0.84); FPe-adjusted: 0.46 (95%CI: 0.16-0.65). A non-significant protective effect for overall mortality was observed: Ora: 0.76 (95%CI: 0.41-1.40). When stratified according to COPD severity (FEV1), the protective effect against risk of hospitalization was higher in more severe COPD patients: Ora: 0.23 (95%CI: 0.11-0.48); FPe-adjusted: 0.77 (95%CI: 0.52-0.89). CONCLUSIONS: We found that influenza vaccination has a protective effect and reduces the risk of hospitalization due to exacerbations in the following year. Despite the evidence for protection, prevalence of vaccination was not optimal, especially in more severe COPD patients.
