Open AccessFactors associated with hospital admission in patients reaching the emergency department with COPD exacerbation
Author(s) -
Maria Teresa García-Sanz,
Carlos Pol-Balado,
Concepción Abellás,
Juan Carlos Cánive-Gómez,
Diana Antón-Sanmartin,
Francisco Javier GonzálezBarcala
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
multidisciplinary respiratory medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.72
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 2049-6958
pISSN - 1828-695X
DOI - 10.4081/mrm.2012.593
Subject(s) - medicine , neutrophilia , emergency department , exacerbation , copd , emergency medicine , medical prescription , prospective cohort study , observational study , copd exacerbation , multivariate analysis , acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , psychiatry , pharmacology
Background: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of COPD exacerbations in our Emergency Department, as well as the hospitalization-related factors. Methods: Prospective observational study conducted in the Emergency Department of Salnés County Hospital among patients admitted for COPD exacerbation. Admission predictors were determined by multivariate analysis. Results: There were 409 exacerbations in 239 patients (79% male, mean age 75). 57% of exacerbations required hospitalization. Hospitalization-related factors were impaired oxygenation (p<0.001), presence of neutrophilia (p<0.01) and prescription of antibiotics in the Emergency Department (p<0.05). Conclusions: COPD exacerbation accounts for over 1% of all visits to our Emergency Department. 57% of them required hospitalization. Impaired oxygenation, greater neutrophilia and prescription of antibiotics in the Emergency Department were associated with greater probability of admission.