Table 2.
Northwestern Pulmonary Palliative Medicine Clinic Patient Characteristics (n=36)
| Age (years), median | 70 (range, 66–89) |
| Men, n (%) | 19 (53%) |
| Women, n (%) | 17 (47%) |
| Comorbid conditions, n (%) | |
| Lung cancer | 7 (19%) |
| Heart disease | 17 (47%) |
| Other cancers | 8 (22%) |
| Other lung disease | 11 (31%) |
| Postbronchodilator FEV1 (L), median (%) | 0.83 (35%) |
| GOLD stage, n (%) | |
| 1 | 1 (3%) |
| 2 | 7 (19%) |
| 3 | 17 (47%) |
| 4 | 10 (28%) |
| Unknown | 1 (3%) |
| BODE score (n=27), n (%) | |
| 1–3 | 6 (22%) |
| 4–6 | 8 (30%) |
| 7–10 | 13 (48%) |
| COPD Assessment Test (CAT) (n=22), median (IQR) (score range 0–40) | 24 (7) |
| Therapies at the time of the initial visit, n (%) | |
| Inhaled corticosteroid | 33 (92%) |
| Long-acting beta agonist | 34 (94%) |
| Long-acting anticholinergic | 28 (78%) |
| Theophylline | 3 (8%) |
| Chronic oral steroids | 2 (6%) |
| Oxygen | 26 (72%) |
| Benzodiazepine | 9 (25%) |
| Opiod | 9 (25%) |
| Antidepressants | 11 (31%) |
| Antipsychotics/Neuroleptics | 2 (6%) |
| Antiepileptics | 3 (8%) |
| Documented advanced care plan at the initial appointment, n (%) | 0 (0%) |
| Verbally reported advanced care plan, n (%) | 11 (31%) |
| Documented advanced care plan at follow-up (n=18), n (%) | 11 (61%) |
| Emergency department visits (over the 3-year study period), n (%) | |
| 0 | 8 (22%) |
| 1–3 | 17 (47%) |
| ≥4 | 11 (31%) |
| Inpatient admissions (over the 3 year study period), n (%) | |
| 0 | 7 (19%) |
| 1–3 | 17 (47%) |
| ≥4 | 12 (33%) |
FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; GOLD, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; BODE, body-mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnea, and exercise; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; IQR, interquartile range.