Introduction: there is little information about the relationship between age and management of COPD exacerbation (AECOPD), although older persons are known to be at a greater risk of hospital admission.
Methods: we have investigated responses from the clinical and patient questionnaire elements of the 2008 UK COPD audit, splitting the data into age decile.
Results: age ranged from 27 to 102.
The 2008 U.K. national chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) audit examined the use of supported discharge programmes (SDPs) in clinical practice against British Thoracic Society guidelines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCOPD exacerbations resulting in hospitalization are accompanied by high mortality and morbidity. The contribution of specific co-morbidities to acute outcomes is not known in detail: existing studies have used either administrative data or small clinical cohorts and have provided conflicting results. Identification of co-existent diseases that affect outcomes provides opportunities to address these conditions proactively and improve overall COPD care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Limited comparative data exist on the outcomes of patients presenting with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations with or without radiological pneumonia.
Objective: To examine the outcome differences amongst these patients.
Methods: We analysed 2008 U.
Rationale: Peer review has been widely used within the National Health Service to facilitate health quality improvement but evaluation has been limited particularly over the longer-term. Change within the National Health Service (NHS) can take a prolonged period--1-2 years--to occur. We report here a 3-year evaluation of the largest randomized trial of peer review ever conducted in the UK.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRationale, Aims And Objectives: Service provision and clinical outcomes for patients admitted with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease remain unacceptably variable despite guidelines and performance feedback of national audit, data. This study aims to assess the impact of mutual peer review on service improvement. The initial phase of this study was to assess the feasibility and determine the practicalities of delivering such a peer review programme on a large scale.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease report a symptom burden similar in magnitude to terminal cancer patients yet service provision and access has been reported as poor. In the absence of a specific national chronic obstructive pulmonary disease service framework the gold standards framework might support service developments. We surveyed 239 UK acute hospital units admitting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, comprising 98% of all acute trusts, about their current and planned provision for palliative care services.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: We report baseline data on the organisation of COPD care in UK NHS hospitals participating in the National COPD Resources and Outcomes Project (NCROP).
Methods: We undertook an initial survey of participating hospitals in 2007, looking at organisation and performance indicators in relation to general aspects of care, provision of non-invasive ventilation (NIV), pulmonary rehabilitation, early discharge schemes, and oxygen. We compare, where possible, against the national 2003 audit.