Studies Recommend Addressing COPD Exacerbations to Improve Outcomes

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients may face various exacerbations that may affect their daily live with the disease through symptoms. A study found that more severe healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) exacerbations were often associated with more severe symptoms. Therefore, suggesting that monitoring and changing daily symptoms may help prevent more severe exacerbations from developing.

The AERIS study, presented at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2018 International Conference, evaluated patients with COPD with a history of exacerbations. The patients completed morning and evening diaries and if a symptomatic change was recorded in the morning, the patients were asked to attend the clinic for evaluation/treatment. Furthermore, the study considered HCRU exacerbations to be mild if they were self-managed through antibiotics or severe if the patient was hospitalized.

The EXAcerbations of Chronic pulmonary disease Tool (EXACT) was used to score the symptoms and to determine if they were worsening throughout the day.

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