Table 1.
Characteristics of patients with COPD according to treatment group (%)
| LABA | Tiotropium | LABA + Tiotropium | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 19071 | n = 9348 | n = 5472 | n = 33891 | |
| % | % | % | % | |
| Gender | ||||
| Male | 52.4 | 56.9 | 61.2 | 55.1 |
| Female | 47.6 | 43.1 | 38.8 | 44.9 |
| Age | ||||
| 45–54 | 4.6 | 2.7 | 4.5 | 4.1 |
| 55–64 | 12.9 | 11.1 | 15.2 | 12.8 |
| 65–74 | 28.7 | 29.4 | 32.7 | 29.5 |
| 75–84 | 39.8 | 42.8 | 37.1 | 40.2 |
| 85+ | 14.0 | 14.0 | 10.5 | 13.5 |
| Residence | ||||
| Lazio | 32.9 | 32.8 | 35.1 | 33.2 |
| Emilia Romagna | 26.4 | 18.5 | 17.7 | 22.8 |
| Lombardia | 40.7 | 48.7 | 47.1 | 43.9 |
| Proxy of COPD severity (previous year)a | ||||
| Previous COPD hospitalization | 9.1 | 11.0 | 14.7 | 10.5 |
| Diagnosis of respiratory failure | 27.1 | 33.4 | 44.6 | 31.7 |
| Invasive respiratory procedures | 1.9 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 2.2 |
| Staying in intensive care unit during a COPD | 4.8 | 6.8 | 7.5 | 5.8 |
| Liquid oxygen | 10.5 | 9.0 | 44.2 | 15.5 |
| Moderate exacerbation (drug use, previous 6 months) | 15.2 | 14.4 | 15.9 | 15.1 |
| Concomitant respiratory diseases (previous year)a | ||||
| Asthma | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
| Chronic respiratory disease other than COPD | 3.0 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.5 |
| Pulmonary infections | 9.5 | 12.9 | 14.0 | 11.2 |
| Acute pulmonary symptoms | 2.6 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.0 |
| Apnoea | 1.5 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.0 |
| History of comorbidities (previous 2 years) | ||||
| Diabetes | 12.5 | 15.5 | 17.2 | 14.1 |
| Hypertension | 28.1 | 33.1 | 34.9 | 30.6 |
| Ischemic heart disease | 12.6 | 18.7 | 14.8 | 14.6 |
| Heart failure/pulmonary heart disease | 13.4 | 19.6 | 19.5 | 16.1 |
| Other chronic heart diseases | 7.5 | 11.3 | 9.4 | 8.8 |
| Arrythmia | 11.0 | 17.7 | 13.9 | 13.3 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 7.8 | 8.7 | 8.2 | 8.1 |
| Peripheral vascular diseases | 3.9 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 4.5 |
| Obesity–dyslipidemia | 7.3 | 9.1 | 10.8 | 8.3 |
| Liver disease | 9.0 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.8 |
| Chronic digestive disease (excluding liver) | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 |
| Chronic renal diseases | 6.1 | 9.1 | 7.8 | 7.2 |
| Neurological and muscle disease | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.1 |
| Anaemia and coagulation disorders | 3.5 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 3.9 |
| Thyroid disease | 3.8 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.3 |
| Depression | 2.3 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Psychiatric disease | 2.7 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 2.7 |
| Peptic ulcer/oesophageal reflux | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.1 |
| Rheumatologic/diffuse disease of connective tissue | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.8 |
| HIV/AIDS/disorders involving immune mechanism | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Prescriptions of drugs | ||||
| Short‐acting beta2 agonist, inhalants | 20.4 | 18.5 | 22.9 | 20.3 |
| Short‐acting beta‐2 agonists combined with glucocoticoids, inhalants or with short‐acting anticholinergics | 4.5 | 4.8 | 5.2 | 4.7 |
| Glucocorticoids, inhalants | 29.5 | 31.8 | 32.3 | 30.6 |
| Antiallergic agents, excluding corticosteroids | 14.7 | 16.5 | 18.7 | 15.8 |
| Short‐acting beta‐2 agonists for systemic use | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Xanthines | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Leukotriene receptor antagonists | 15.9 | 14.5 | 15.8 | 15.5 |
| Other systemic drugs for obstructive airway diseases | 2.4 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.1 |
| Glucocorticoids for systemic use | 25.7 | 24.5 | 25.8 | 25.4 |
| Antibacterials for systemic use | 56.4 | 56.1 | 55.3 | 56.2 |
a
Excluding index admission.