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BACKGROUND: We sought to determine whether COPD conferred a higher risk for healthcare utilization in terms of hospitalization and clinical outcomes due to COVID-19. METHODS: A cohort study with covariate adjustment using multivariate logistic regression was conducted at the Cleveland Clinic Health System in Ohio and Florida. Symptomatic patients aged 35 years and older who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 between March 8 and May 13, 2020 were included. FINDINGS: 15,586 individuals tested for COVID-19 at the Cleveland Clinic between March 8, 2020 and May 13, 2020 met our inclusion criteria. 12.4% of COPD patients (164/1319) tested positive for COVID-19 compared to 16.6% (2363/14,267) of the non-COPD population. 48.2% (79/164) of COVID-19 positive COPD patients required hospitalization and 45.6% (36/79) required ICU admission. After adjustment for covariates, rates of COVID-19 infection were not significantly different than the non-COPD population (adj OR 0.97; CI: 0.89-1.05), but COPD patients had increased healthcare utilization as demonstrated by risk for hospitalization (adj OR 1.36; CI: 1.15-1.60), ICU admission (OR 1.20; CI: 1.02-1.40), and need for invasive mechanical ventilation (adj OR 1.49; CI: 1.28-1.73). Unadjusted risk for in-hospital mortality was higher in the COPD population (OR 1.51; CI: 1.14-1.96). After adjusting for covariates however, the risk for in-hospital mortality was not significantly different than the non-COPD population (adj OR 1.08: CI: 0.81-1.42). INTERPRETATION: Our analysis demonstrated that COPD patients with COVID-19 had a higher risk for healthcare utilization, although adjusted in-hospital mortality risk was not different than the non-COPD patients with COVID-19.
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INTRODUCTION: The effect of electronic inhaler monitoring (EIM) on healthcare utilization in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has not been studied. We hypothesized that the use of EIM in conjunction with a disease management program reduces healthcare utilization in patients with COPD. METHODS: This is a retrospective pre- and post-analysis of a quality improvement project. Patients with COPD and high healthcare utilization (≥one hospitalization or emergency room visit during the year prior to enrolment) were provided with electronic monitoring devices for monitoring controller and rescue inhaler utilization for one year. Patients were contacted when alerts were triggered, indicating suboptimal adherence to controller inhaler or increased use of rescue inhalers, potentially signalling an impending exacerbation. Healthcare utilization was assessed pre- and post-monitoring, with each subject serving as his/her own control. RESULTS: Patients with COPD and high healthcare utilization (n = 39) were recruited. Mean EIM duration was 280.5 (±120.6) days. The mean age was 68.6 (±9.9) years, FEV1 (mean forced expiratory volume in one second) was 1.1 (±0.4) L, and mean Charlson Comorbidity index was 5.6 (±2.7). Average adherence was 44.4% (28.4%). Compared with the year prior to enrolment, EIM was associated with a reduction in COPD-related healthcare utilization per year (2.2 (±2.3) versus 3.4 (±3.2), p = 0.01). Although there was a reduction in all-cause healthcare utilization, this was not statistically significant (3.4 (±2.6) versus 4.7 (±4.1), p = 0.06). DISCUSSION: EIM in conjunction with a disease management program may play a role in reducing healthcare utilization in COPD patients with a history of high healthcare utilization.