Adherence to and Utility of the GOLD Guidelines for COPD
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The Adherence to and Utility of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease Guidelines for Treating COPD Among Pulmonary Specialists

A Retrospective Analysis

Fortune O. Alabi; Hadaya A. Alkhateeb; Mukudzeishe T. Zibanayi; Jica Garces; Kayla M. DeBarros; Pierina S. Benel Barletti; Kayla Garcia; Randall K. James

Disclosures

BMC Pulm Med. 2023;23(216) 

In This Article

Abstract and Introduction

Abstract

Background: Despite the evidence-based guidelines promoted by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), the overuse of prescription drugs to manage COPD, particularly inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), remains a persistent challenge. In this real-world study, we evaluated how patients with COPD were divided into ABCD groups based on the 2017 GOLD guidelines, determined the rate of adherence to the GOLD treatment recommendations, described the rate of ICS usage, and determined the rate of triple therapy (TT) prescription.

Methods: The charts of 2291 patients diagnosed with COPD were retrospectively analyzed, of which 1438 matched the eligibility criteria.

Results:The average patient age was 69.6 ± 10.9 years; 52% of patients were female. The average COPD assessment test (CAT) score was 18.3 ± 9.1. The ABCD breakdown was as follows: group A 19.5%, group B 64.1%, group C 1.8%, and group D 14.6%. All groups, except group D, showed discordance in COPD treatment relative to the proposed GOLD guidelines. Only 18.9% of group A and 26% of group B were treated in concordance with the guidelines. TT was primarily used in group D (63.3%) and overused in groups A (30.6%) and B (47.8%). ICS was overused in all groups, particularly in groups A (56.2%) and B (67.3%).

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