ArticleRespiratory research2019
Are there specific clinical characteristics associated with physician's treatment choices in COPD?
Article in Respiratory research, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Excessive Short-acting Beta-agonists Prescriptions in COPD Treated with Triple Inhaler Therapy: A Possible Marker of Frequent Exacerbations. A Retrospective Cohort Study.Thoracic research and practice · 2026Article
- Individual trajectory-based care for COPD: getting closer, but not there yet.ERJ open research · 2021Review
- A machine learning approach to predict extreme inactivity in COPD patients using non-activity-related clinical data.PloS one · 2021Article
- Women's COPD.Frontiers in medicine · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe number of pharmacological agents and guidelines available for COPD has increased markedly but guidelines remain poorly followed. Understanding underlying clinical reasoning is challenging and could be informed by clinical characteristics associated with treatment prescriptions.
methodsTo determine whether COPD treatment choices by respiratory physicians correspond to specific patients' features, this study was performed in 1171 patients who had complete treatment and clinical characterisation data. Multiple statistical models were applied to explain five treatment categories: A: no COPD treatment or short-acting bronchodilator(s) only; B: one long-acting bronchodilator (beta2 agonist, LABA or anticholinergic agent, LAMA); C: LABA+LAMA; D: a LABA or LAMA + inhaled corticosteroid (ICS); E: triple therapy (LABA+LAMA+ICS).
resultsMean FEV1 was 60% predicted. Triple therapy was prescribed to 32.9% (treatment category E) of patients and 29.8% received a combination of two treatments (treatment categories C or D); ICS-containing regimen were present for 44% of patients altogether. Single or dual bronchodilation were less frequently used (treatment categories B and C: 19% each). While lung function was associated with all treatment decisions, exacerbation history, scores of clinical impact and gender were associated with the prescription of > 1 maintenance treatment. Statistical models could predict treatment decisions with a < 35% error rate.
conclusionIn COPD, contrary to what has been previously reported in some studies, treatment choices by respiratory physicians appear rather rational since they can be largely explained by the patients' characteristics proposed to guide them in most recommendations.
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