INTRODUCTION 

Patients with exacerbating COPD represent a non-negligible health care expense. The aim of this study was to compare the consumption of healthcare resources in patients with exacerbating COPD depending on relatives convivence.

METHODS

Observational study of a cohort of patients admitted to a tertiary hospital in Madrid, Spain, due to a  COPD exacerbation in 2018, those patients who did not provide information on cohabitation were excluded. Clinical and health resource consumption data were collected at baseline and after one year of follow-up.

RESULTS

146 patients met the inclusion criteria and 64 patients who did not report information on cohabitation were excluded. 82 patients entered the study. Of these, 64 (78.0%) were male. The mean age was 71.4% years. The mean FEV1(pp) was 51.8% (standard deviation - SD- 18.1). Fifty-four patients (65.9%) lived with relatives. Between the group of cohabitants and those living alone, there were no significant differences in terms of male gender (77.8% vs. 78.6%; p=0.934), age (72.8 vs. 68.8 years; p=0.164) or FEV1(pp) (51.7% vs. 52.1%; p=0.928). The mean length of stay was significantly shorter in patients living with relatives (7.7 vs. 10.7 days; p = 0.021). At one-year follow-up, no significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of readmission (26.4% vs. 28.6%; p = 0.836), number of emergency room visits (0.40 vs. 0.39; p = 0.981) or mortality (27.8% vs. 28.6%; p = 0.940).

CONCLUSION 

 COPD exacerbators had a significantly shorter mean length of stay than patients living alone.  The social aspect is an important factor influencing the consumption of healthcare resources.