Table 1.
Summary of patient demographics and clinical characteristics according to the previous medical history of inhaled therapy.
| With Previous History of Inhaler Use Before Hospitalization |
Without Previous History of Inhaler Use Before Hospitalization |
p-Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients included, n (%) | 499 (51.3) | 474 (48.7) | |
| Age, median (SD) | 75.4 (12.4) | 79.2 (12.7) | <0.001 |
| Gender (men), n (%) | 243 (59.6) | 167 (49) | 0.005 |
| Current smoker, n (%) | 54 (10.8) | 25 (5.8) | 0.381 |
| Charlson index, median (SD) | 3 (1–4) | 2 (1–4) | 0.002 |
| Patients with Charlson index ≥ 2, n (%) | 340 (67.9) | 301 (63.5) | 0.151 |
| Respiratory comorbidities, n (%) | <0.001 | ||
| Absence | 66 (13.2) | 361 (76.2) | |
| COPD | 268 (53.7) | 32 (6.8) | |
| Bronchiectasis | 40 (8) | 4 (0.8) | |
| Asthma | 89 (17.8) | 16 (3.4) | |
| Other | 36 (7.2) | 61 (12.9) | |
| Number of hospitalizations in previous year, median (IQR) | 2 (1–3) | 1 (0–2) | <0.001 |
| Hospitalizations previous year ≥ 1, n (%) | 388 (77.4) | 271 (57.2) | <0.001 |
| Antibiotic/corticosteroid courses in previous year, median (IQR) | 1 (0–3) | 0 (0–1) | <0.001 |
| Number of courses ≥ 2, n (%) | 232 (46.5) | 103 (21.7) | <0.001 |
| Cause for therapy during admission, n (%) | <0.001 | ||
| COPD exacerbation | 205 (40.9) | 23 (4.9) | |
| Asthma exacerbation | 17 (3.4) | 5 (1.1) | |
| Bronchiectasis | 10 (2) | 0 | |
| Respiratory infection | 218 (43.5) | 304 (64.1) | |
| Cardiac insufficiency | 43 (8.6) | 125 (26.4) | |
| Inpatient service, n (%) | <0.001 | ||
| Internal medicine | 260 (52.1) | 279 (58.9) | |
| Pulmonology | 125 (25) | 35 (7.4) | |
| Geriatrics | 114 (22.8) | 160 (33.8) | |
| Inhaled therapy during hospitalization, n (%) | 0.434 | ||
| SABD | 246 (49.3) | 325 (68.6) | |
| ICS + SABD | 96 (19.2) | 67 (14.1) | |
| LAMA | 30 (6) | 14 (3) | |
| LABA + LAMA | 17 (3.4) | 5 (1.1) | |
| LABA + ICS | 35 (7) | 27 (5.7) | |
| LABA + LAMA + ICS (single inhaler) | 66 (13.2) | 27 (5.7) | |
| LABA + LAMA + ICS (multiple inhalers) | 9 (3.4) | 9 (1.9) | |
| Inhaler devices during hospitalization, n (%) | 0.212 | ||
| MDI (with spacer) | 260 (51.9) | 219 (46.2) | |
| Nebulizer | 209 (41.7) | 248 (52.3) | |
| MDI | 2 (0.4) | 1 (0.2) | |
| DPI | 14 (2.8) | 1 (0.2) | |
| SMI | 13 (2.6) | 5 (1.0) | |
| Mortality, n (%) | <0.001 | ||
| In-hospital | 18 (3.6) | 97 (20.5) | |
| 90 days | 108 (21.6) | 51 (10.8) |
%, percentage; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CS, corticosteroids; DPI, dry powdered inhaler; ICS, inhaled corticosteroids; IQR, interquartile range; LABA, long-acting beta-agonist; LAMA, long-acting muscarinic antagonists; MDI, metered-dose inhaler; SABD, short-acting bronchodilators; SD, standard deviation; SMI, soft mist inhaler.