Primary Care Respiratory Journal最新文献

Background: Efficacy trials suggest that extra-fine particle beclometasone dipropionate-formoterol (efBDP-FOR) is comparable to fluticasone propionate-salmeterol (FP-SAL) in preventing asthma exacerbations at a clinically equivalent dosage. However, switching from FP-SAL to efBDP-FOR has not been evaluated in real-world asthma patients.

Aims: The REACH (Real-world Effectiveness in Asthma therapy of Combination inHalers) study investigated the clinical and cost effectiveness of switching typical asthma patients from FP-SAL to efBDP-FOR.

Methods: A retrospective matched (1:3) observational study of 1,528 asthma patients aged 18-80 years from clinical practice databases was performed. Patients remaining on FP-SAL (n=1,146) were compared with those switched to efBDP-FOR at an equivalent or lower inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) dosage (n=382). Clinical and economic outcomes were compared between groups for the year before and after the switch. Non-inferiority (at least equivalence) of efBDP-FOR was tested against FP-SAL by comparing exacerbation rates during the outcome year.

Results: efBDP-FOR was non-inferior to FP-SAL (adjusted exacerbation rate ratio 1.01 (95% CI 0.74 to 1.37)). Switching to efBDP-FOR resulted in significantly better (p<0.05) odds of achieving overall asthma control (no asthma-related hospitalisations, bronchial infections, or acute oral steroids; salbutamol ≤200μg/day) and lower daily short-acting β2-agonist usage at a lower daily ICS dosage (mean -130μg/day FP equivalents; p<0.001). It also reduced mean asthma-related healthcare costs by £93.63/patient/year (p<0.001).

Conclusions: Asthma patients may be switched from FP-SAL to efBDP-FOR at an equivalent or lower ICS dosage with no reduction in clinical effectiveness but a significant reduction in cost.

Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation increases functional capacity and quality of life and decrease exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but there is little knowledge of how it influences their next of kin.

Aims: To describe the experience of a multidisciplinary programme of pulmonary rehabilitation in primary health care from the perspective of the next of kin.

Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was undertaken as part of a longitudinal study comprising a multidisciplinary programme for patients with COPD where the next of kin were invited to one session. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 next of kin and analysed by qualitative content analysis.

Results: One main theme emerged - Life still remains overshadowed by illness. There were three sub-themes: a sense of deepened understanding; a sense of personal vulerability; and a sense of relief of burden.

Conclusions: The next of kin's life was still overshadowed by illness, despite the multidisciplinary programme. Although experiencing positive outcomes two years after the programme, the next of kin expressed a need for more support. This study has shown that next of kin could benefit from their own participation and/or that of the patient in a multidisciplinary programme of pulmonary rehabilitation. We believe that next of kin should be offered primary health care support for the sake of their own health, but also in order to manage their informal caregiver role. The experiences described here could form a basis for further development of interventions for next of kin of patients with COPD.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations are associated with lung function decline, lower quality of life, and increased mortality, and can be prevented by pharmacological treatment and rehabilitation.

Aims: To examine management including examination, treatment, and planned follow-up of COPD exacerbation visits in primary care patients and to explore how measures and management at exacerbation visits are related to subsequent exacerbation risk.

Methods: A clinical population of 775 COPD patients was randomly selected from 56 Swedish primary healthcare centres. Data on patient characteristics and management of COPD exacerbations were obtained from medical record review and a patient questionnaire. In the study population of 458 patients with at least one exacerbation, Cox regression analyses estimated the risk of a subsequent exacerbation with adjustment for age and sex.

Results: During a follow-up period of 22 months, 238 patients (52%) had a second exacerbation. A considerable proportion of the patients were not examined and treated as recommended by guidelines. Patients with a scheduled extra visit to an asthma/COPD nurse following an exacerbation had a decreased risk of further exacerbations compared with patients with no extra follow-up other than regularly scheduled visits (adjusted hazard ratio 0.60 (95% confidence interval 0.37 to 0.99), p=0.045).

Conclusions: Guidelines for examination and emergency treatment at COPD exacerbation visits are not well implemented. Scheduling an extra visit to an asthma/COPD nurse following a COPD exacerbation may be associated with a decreased risk of further exacerbations in primary care patients.

Background: In patients with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) it is a challenge to identify who should be treated with antibiotics. According to international guidelines, antibiotics should be prescribed to patients with suspected pneumonia while acute bronchitis is considered a viral infection and should, generally, not be treated with antibiotics. Overdiagnosis of pneumonia in patients with LRTIs may lead to antibiotic overprescribing.

Aims: To investigate the prevalence of presumed pneumonia in patients with LRTI in two countries with different antibiotic prescribing rates (Denmark and Spain) and to compare which symptoms and clinical tests are of most importance for the GP when choosing a diagnosis of pneumonia rather than acute bronchitis.

Methods: A cross-sectional study including GPs from Denmark and Spain was conducted as part of the EU-funded project HAPPY AUDIT. A total of 2,698 patients with LRTI were included.

Results: In Denmark, 47% of the patients with LRTI were classified with a diagnosis of pneumonia compared with 11% in Spain. In Spain, fever and a positive x-ray weighted significantly more in the diagnosis of pneumonia than in Denmark. Danish GPs, however, attached more importance to dyspnoea/polypnoea and C-reactive protein levels >50mg/L. None of the other typical symptoms of pneumonia had a significant influence.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that GPs' diagnostic criteria for pneumonia differ substantially between Denmark and Spain. The high prevalence of pneumonia among Danish patients with LRTI may indicate overdiagnosis of pneumonia which, in turn, may lead to antibiotic overprescribing.