Physician specialty as a source of heterogeneity in the care of patients with COPD

Intensive care unit admission in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: patient information and the physician's decision-making process

INTRODUCTION

ICU admission is required in more than 25% of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at some time during the course of the disease. However, only limited information is available on how physicians communicate with COPD patients about ICU admission.

METHODS

COPD patients and relatives from 19 French ICUs were interviewed at ICU discharge about their knowledge of COPD. French pulmonologists self-reported their practices for informing and discussing intensive care treatment preferences with COPD patients. Finally, pulmonologists and ICU physicians reported barriers and facilitators for transfer of COPD patients to the ICU and to propose invasive mechanical ventilation.

RESULTS

Self-report questionnaires were filled in by 126 COPD patients and 102 relatives, and 173 pulmonologists and 135 ICU physicians were interviewed. For 41% (n = 39) of patients and 54% (n = 51) of relatives, ICU admission had never been expected prior to admission. One half of patients were not routinely informed by their pulmonologist about possible ICU admission at some time during the course of COPD. Moreover, treatment options (that is, non-invasive ventilation, intubation and mechanical ventilation or tracheotomy) were not explained to COPD patients during regular pulmonologist visits. Pulmonologists and ICU physician have different perceptions of the decision-making process pertaining to ICU admission and intubation.

CONCLUSIONS

The information provided by pulmonologists to patients and families concerning the prognosis of COPD, the risks of ICU admission and specific care could be improved in order to deliver ICU care in accordance with the patient's personal values and preferences. Given the discrepancies in the decision-making process between pulmonologists and intensivists, a more collaborative approach should probably be discussed.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in the elderly

The prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) dramatically increases with age, and COPD complicated by chronic respiratory failure may be considered a geriatric condition. Unfortunately, most cases remain undiagnosed because of atypical clinical presentation and difficulty with current respiratory function diagnostic standards. Accordingly, the disease is under-recognized and undertreated. This is expected to impact noticeably the health status of unrecognized COPD patients because a timely therapy could mitigate the distinctive and important effects of COPD on the health status. Comorbidity also plays a pivotal role in conditioning both the health status and the therapy of COPD besides having major prognostic implication. Several problems affect the overall quality of the therapy for the elderly with COPD, and current guidelines as well as results from pharmacological trials only to some extent apply to this patient. Finally, physicians of different specialties care for the elderly COPD patient: physician's specialty largely determines the kind of approach. In conclusion, COPD, in itself a complex disease, becomes difficult to identify and to manage in the elderly. Interdisciplinary efforts are desirable to provide the practicing physician with a multidisciplinary guide to the identification and treatment of COPD.