Table 2 Aspects of process of care for patients by age group.
| Age <65 (n = 1798) [median age 59] | Age 65–74 (n = 2683) [median age 70] | Age 75–84 (n = 2472) [median age 79] | Age 85+ (n = 561) [median age 87] | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | n | % | n | OR* (95% CI) | % | n | OR* (95% CI) | % | n | OR* (95% CI) | |
| Accepted by an early discharge scheme | 14 | 243/1716 | 15 | 399/2576 | 1.16 (1.00 to 1.34) | 16 | 368/2352 | 1.26 (1.04 to 1.52) | 10 | 53/532 | 0.83 (0.59 to 1.18) |
| Admitted under a respiratory physician | 36 | 637/1762 | 33 | 866/2623 | 0.87 (0.75 to 1.00) | 26 | 627/2420 | 0.63 (0.53 to 0.75) | 16 | 86/550 | 0.34 (0.25 to 0.47) |
| NOT seen by respiratory nurse or physician at all | 22 | 379/1748 | 24 | 633/2616 | 1.15 (0.98 to 1.35) | 33 | 795/2381 | 1.72 (1.45 to 2.08) | 42 | 223/530 | 2.33 (1.75 to 3.03) |
| NO gases on admission | 13 | 228/1753 | 14 | 354/2601 | 1.02 (0.85 to 1.23) | 16 | 383/2399 | 1.15 (0.94 to 1.39) | 22 | 120/536 | 1.56 (1.19 to 2.04) |
| NO FEV1 within last 5 years documented | 39 | 698 | 41 | 1099 | 1.14 (1.00 to 1.31) | 50 | 1241 | 1.61 (1.37 to 1.89) | 65 | 367 | 2.86 (2.22 to 3.57) |
| NO respiratory rate documented | 18 | 323 | 19 | 519 | 1.06 (0.90 to 1.26) | 20 | 497 | 1.06 (0.88 to 1.28) | 22 | 125 | 1.11 (0.85 to 1.45) |
| NO systemic corticosteroids for >24 hours as inpatient | 14 | 241/1745 | 15 | 402/2605 | 1.13 (0.94 to 1.36) | 18 | 423/2388 | 1.28 (1.06 to 1.54) | 24 | 126/534 | 1.69 (1.28 to 2.22) |
| Receiving ventilatory support if pH <7.35 | 41 | 178/438 | 40 | 254/634 | 1.05 (0.82 to 1.34) | 33 | 163/497 | 0.77 (0.57 to 1.02) | 28 | 28/100 | 0.66 (0.39 to 1.11) |
*Odds relative to <65 year age group. Odds ratios (OR) were adjusted for the case mix variables in Table 1 using standard logistic regression methods adapted to adjust for hospital clustering. p values were computed using the χ2 values from the regression models with and without age groups.