AN ANALYSIS OF CLINICAL, DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS AND COSTS OF ACUTE COPD EXACERBATION PATIENTS ADMITTED TO OUR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Abstract

Aim: Our study aimed to determine the demographic factors affecting the hospital costs of patients with COPD
exacerbation.
Methods: The study was retrospectively conducted on patients, who presented to the Department of Emergency
Medicine of Abant Izzet Baysal University with the complaints of COPD exacerbation between 01.06.2016 - 30.06.2017. The
correlation between age, gender, occupations, places of residence, levels of education, history of smoking, methods of
heating, comorbidities, times of application, symptoms, vital findings and findings of physical examination, blood gas results,
frequency of admission to emergency department, frequency of hospitalization, emergency department outcomes of all
patients and the cost was analyzed.
Results: The median age of the patients was 73 years, and 76.8% of them were male. The median cost of the patients
was TRY 136.8. There was no correlation between the cost and gender, employment status, place of residence, level of
education, duration of smoking, type of medicines used at home, and method of heating (p>0.05). The costs of the patients
who were admitted in the spring months were significantly lower compared to those who were admitted in other seasons
(p>0.05). It was found that the cost was not increased by the presence of comorbidities, HT, CHF, and DM (p>0.05). It was
found that the cost increased significantly as the general condition worsened (p>0.05). It was determined that the cost was
positively correlated with respiratory rate and negatively correlated with DKS (p>0.05). The cost was found to be significantly
higher in patients with extrapulmonary examination findings (p>0.05). HCO3 and cost were found to be negatively correlated
(p<0.05). No correlation was found between the cost and the frequency of admission to emergency department and
hospitalization of the patients (p>0.05). The costs of the patients, who were admitted to intensive care or ward, were
significantly higher (p>0.05).
Conclusion: The cost is affected by a number of factors in patients admitted due to COPD exacerbation, the most
important factor affecting the cost is patient’s clinic. Poor patient clinic determines both the treatment to be provided in the
emergency department and the status of hospitalization.