Page 115 - Livre électronique du Congrès National de Pneumologie 2019

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FEATURES OF FREQUENT
EXACERBATORS IN COPD
P39

Introduction :

The COPD “frequent exacerbatorphenotype is usually defined by at least two treated exacerbations
per year and is associated with a huge impact on patient health.

Aim : In this study we aim to demonstrate the epidemiological characteristics of frequent exacerbators
among our COPD population.

Methods :

In this study we enrolled 169 patients hospitalized for a COPD acute exacerbation in the Respiratory
disease department in Farhat Hached Hospital (Sousse) between 2015 and 2017. Among these
patient we studied the epidemiological features of those considered as frequent exacerbators.

Results :

Data showed that Half of the patients (84 patients; 49.7%) were frequent exacerbators (Mean number
of exacerbations was 3.75 ± 1.59). The mean age of this population was 67.37 ± 9.9 years and they
were mostly males (♂ 89.3% vs ♀ 10.7%). Most of the patients (71.4%) were from a modest socio-
economic status and only 65.5% had social security fund. Smoker were predominant (89.3%) and
nearly half (44%) of them were active. We noticed a professional exposure to smoke in 78.6% of the
patients. Third of the population (33%) were considered obese. The majority of patients (95.2%) were
in Group D and 15.5% of them had a history of a critical care unit hospitalization. All the patients were
under medical treatment and 10.7% had a home aerosol machine. Home non-invasive ventilation was
prescribed to 23.8% of patients and Home oxygen therapy was indicated in 32.1% of cases.
Pulmonary rehabilitation was performed in only one patient (1.2%) and prescribed treatment was
conform to update recommendations in only 34.5% of the population.

Conclusion :

The incidence of frequent exacerbators in our series is elevated and it underlines many
epidemiological characteristics that we should take seriously into account as smoking cessation in
order to alleviate its human and financial burden.