Respiratory day hospital: Impact on the rate of hospital admissions due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations

Background and objective: Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD) are considered to be the most important factor in determining the course of the disease, and have great impact on the health care system. We evaluated the effects of a Respiratory Day Hospital (RDH) on the rate of hospital admissions due to AE-COPD. Patients and methods: During 14 months, every case of AE-COPD seen at the RDH and emergency services was recruited prospectively. Patients were excluded when another known cause of exacerbation was present and/or when they required invasive mechanical ventilation. Results: 226 episodes (173 patients) were included (72. SD 8 years old). One hundred and twenty one cases received treatment at the RDH (53.5%). Admissions from the RDH group were noticeably lower (32.2 vs. 66.7%, p < 0.001), even in patients with more admissions due to AE-COPD the year before the study. There were no differences either in terms of AE-COPD severity or in readmissions and mortality rates during the follow up. Conclusions: Management of AE-COPD in a RDH seems to be associated with a lower rate of hospital admissions in comparison with an emergency department. (C) 2010 Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.