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Table 2 Treatment of COPD exacerbations in general practice

From: COPD exacerbations in general practice: variability in oral prednisolone courses

 

Case 1

Case 2

Case 3

Case 4

 

GOLD 1,2 no severe exacerbation

GOLD 1,2 no severe exacerbation

GOLD 3,4 severe exacerbation

GOLD 3,4 severe exacerbation

 

DM- [CI]

DM+ [CI]

DM- [CI]

DM+ [CI]

DM- [CI]

DM+ [CI]

DM- [CI]

DM+ [CI]

Choice of treatment

N = 165

N = 161

N = 164

N = 159

N = 166

N = 158

N = 158

N = 156

1-Specialist treatment

0%

[0.000-0.000]

0%

[0.000-0.000]

10%

[0.057-0.154]

16%

[0.104-0.223]

0%

[0.000-0.000]

0%

[0.000-0.000]

61%

[0.527-0.684]

72%

[0.640-0.787]

2- No treatment

2%

[0.004-0.052]

5%

[0.022-0.096]

0%

[0.000-0.000]

0%

[0.000-0.000]

0%

[0.000-0.000]

1%

[0.002-0.045]

0%

[0.000-0.000]

0%

[0.000-0.000]

3- Primary care treatment

98%

[0.948-0.996]

95%

[0.904-0.978]

90%

[0.846-0.943]

84%

[0.777-0.896]

100%

[0.967-1.000]

99%

[0.955-0.998]

39%

[0.316-0.473]

28%

[0.213-0.360]

Type of regimen

N = 162

N = 157

N = 147

N = 134

N = 166

N = 157

N = 62

N = 43

A)Tapering regimen

0%

[0.000-0.000]

3%

[0.010-0.073]

1%

[0.000-0.037]

3%

[0.008-0.075]

2%

[0.004-0.052]

6%

[0.027-0.106]

6%

[0.018-0.157]

9%

[0.026-0.221]

B) Continuous regimen

100%

[0.966-1.000]

97%

[0.927-0.990]

99%

[0.963-1.000]

97%

[0.925-0.992]

98%

[0.948-0.996]

94%

[0.894-0.973]

94%

[0.843-0.982]

91%

[0.779-0.974]

Continuous regimen

N = 161

N = 149

N = 143

N = 128

N = 160

N = 141

N = 57

N = 38

   30mg for 5 days

13%

[0.083-0.192]

17%

[0.112-0.238]

5%

[0.020-0.098]

6%

[0.027-0.119]

8%

[0.044-0.135]

9%

[0.050-0.153]

2%

[0.000-0.094]

5%

[0.006-0.177]

   30mg for 7 days

64%

[0.560-0.714]

57%

[0.487-0.651]

57%

[0.488-0.656]

61%

[0.519-0.694]

58%

[0.501-0.659]

59%

[0.503-0.671]

44%

[0.307-0.576]

42%

[0.263-0.592]

   30mg for 10 days

8%

[0.044-0.134]

6%

[0.028-0.112]

22%

[0.152-0.293]

20%

[0.137-0.283]

22%

[0.157-0.291]

20%

[0.136-0.274]

42%

[0.291-0.559]

40%

[0.240-0.566]

   30mg for 14 days

0%

[0.000-0.000]

0%

[0.000-0.000]

4%

[0.016-0.089]

1%

[0.000-0.043]

4%

[0.014-0.080]

1%

[0.000-0.039]

5%

[0.011-0.146]

5%

[0.006-0.177]

  1. DM - = patients without diabetes; DM + = patients with diabetes; CI = 95% confidence interval