Patients' acceptance of outcome and experience measurements during hospitalisation for COPD exacerbations: a CICERO Clinical Research Collaboration-European Lung Foundation online patient survey.

Background

The lack of standardised outcome assessments during hospitalisation and follow-up for acute COPD exacerbations has hampered scientific progress and clinical proficiency. The objective of the present study was to evaluate patients' acceptance of selected outcome and experience measurements during hospitalisations for COPD exacerbations and follow-up.

Methods

An online survey was held amongst COPD patients in France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and the UK. The European Lung Foundation COPD Patient Advisory Group was involved in the conceptualisation, development and dissemination of the survey. The survey was complementary to a previously obtained expert consensus. We assessed patients' views and acceptance of selected patient-reported outcomes or experiences and corresponding measurement instruments (for dyspnoea, frequent productive cough, health status and hospitalisation experience), and of selected clinical investigations (blood draw, pulmonary function test, 6-min walk test, chest computed tomography, echocardiography).

Findings

200 patients completed the survey. All selected outcomes and experiences were deemed important, and acceptance of their methods of assessment was high. The modified Medical Research Council scale and a numerical rating scale to address dyspnoea, the COPD Assessment Test for quality of life and frequent productive cough, and the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems for hospital experiences were the instruments preferred by patients. Consensus on importance of blood draw and spirometry was higher compared with the other investigations.

Interpretation

The survey results endorse the use of the selected outcome and experience measurements during hospitalisations for COPD exacerbations. They can be used to optimise standardised and patient-centred care and facilitate multicentric data collection.

Informations de copyright

Copyright ©The authors 2023.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Conflicts of interest: An ICMJE Conflict of Interest form has been collected from all authors. I. Gyselinck reports grants from Research Foundation Flanders (FWO). S. Ramakrishnan reports grants from the National Institute of Health Research UK and AstraZeneca paid to his institution; and honoraria for speaker's fees from AstraZeneca. C. Coleman reports funding from the CICERO CRC budget for coordinating patient involvement in the project paid to the ERS; and is an employee of the European Lung Foundation. T. Greulich reports grants from Grifols paid to his institution; consulting fees from AstraZeneca, Berlin-Chemie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, CSL-Behring, Grifols, GSK, Mundipharma, Novartis and Takeda; honoraria for speaker's fees from AstraZeneca, Berlin-Chemie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, CSL-Behring, Grifols, GSK, Mundipharma and Takeda; travel support from AstraZeneca, Berlin-Chemie, Chiesi, CSL-Behring, Grifols, GSK and Takeda; DSMB and/or advisory board participation for AstraZeneca, Berlin-Chemie, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Chiesi, CSL-Behring, Grifols, GSK, Mundipharma, Novartis, Takeda; and membership of Alpha-1-Deutschland. F. Franssen reports grants from AstraZeneca; consulting fees from MSD; honoraria for speaker's fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Chiesi and Novartis; and travel support from Chiesi. P.R. Burgel reports grants from GSK and Vertex paid to his institution; consulting fees from AstraZeneca, Chiesi, Insmed, Viatris, Vertex, Zambon and Boehringer Ingelheim; travel support from Chiesi and Zambon. M. Bafadhel reports grants from AstraZeneca and Roche paid to her institution; honoraria for speaker's fees from AstraZeneca, Chiesi, Cipla, GlaxoSmithKline and Boehringer Ingelheim, paid to her institution; travel support from Boehringer Ingelheim; DSMB and/or advisory board participation for AstraZeneca, Sanofi/Regeneron, GlaxoSmithKline, Albus Health and ProAxsis; unpaid leadership roles in the BTS research and scientific faculty and NIHR TRC. W. Janssens reports grants from FWO, AstraZeneca and Chiesi, paid to the institution; honoraria for speaker's fees from AstraZeneca, Chiesi and GlaxoSmithKline; and nonfinancial support from ArtiQ. K. Vermeersch, A. Halner, H. Pott, F. Dobbels, P. Collis and H. Watz report no conflicts of interest.