Table 1. Baseline demographics and disease characteristics.
| Variable, N (%) | Total study population (N=2,217) |
|---|---|
| Age at initial COPD diagnosis | |
| <60 years | 497 (22.4) |
| ⩾60 to <75 years | 1,197 (54.0) |
| ⩾75 years | 523 (23.6) |
| Age at first major therapy | |
| <60 years | 403 (18.2) |
| ⩾60 to <75 years | 1,179 (53.2) |
| ⩾75 years | 635 (28.6) |
| Time from COPD diagnosis to first prescription for COPD maintenance therapy, median years (range) | 0.4 (0–2.6) |
| Male gender | 1,229 (55.4) |
| Smoking status | |
| Non-smoker | 174 (7.9) |
| Current smoker | 1,002 (45.2) |
| Ex-smoker | 1,040 (46.9) |
| Unknown | 1 (<0.1) |
| GOLD COPD severity post-bronchodilator | |
| 1: FEV1 ⩾80% predicted | 204 (11.1) |
| 2: 50%⩽FEV1 <80% predicted | 1,038 (56.4) |
| 3: 30%⩽FEV1 <50% predicted | 499 (27.1) |
| 4: FEV1 <30% predicted | 99 (5.4) |
| Unconfirmed COPD (FEV1/FVC <0.7) | 377 (17.0) |
| GOLD groupa | |
| A | 803 (36.9) |
| B | 461 (21.2) |
| C | 516 (23.7) |
| D | 396 (18.2) |
| Unknown | 41 (1.8) |
| Moderate and severe exacerbation rateb | |
| 0 | 1,177 (53.1) |
| 1 | 598 (27.0) |
| 2 | 280 (12.6) |
| ⩾3 | 162 (7.3) |
| First COPD maintenance prescription | |
| ICS | 344 (15.5) |
| ICS+LABA | 646 (29.1) |
| ICS+LAMA | 12 (0.5) |
| ICS+LABA+LAMA | 129 (5.8) |
| LAMA | 891 (40.2) |
| LABA | 186 (8.4) |
| LAMA+LABA | 9 (0.4) |
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; FEV1, forced expiratory volume over 1 s; FVC, forced vital capacity; GOLD, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; ICS, inhaled corticosteroid; LABA, long-acting beta-agonist; LAMA, long-acting muscarinic antagonist; MRC, Medical Research Council.
GOLD group (A–D): A is least severe and D is most severe COPD. GOLD group determined according to MRC score. Both routine medical practice recorded and patient questionnaire MRC scores were used with the most recent score taking precedence. The category ‘Unknown’ was assigned to patients with no MRC score available.
1 year prior to/at first COPD maintenance therapy prescription, defined as an unscheduled hospital admission/A&E attendance for COPD (definite code) or lower respiratory-related events (i.e., with a lower respiratory read code); OR lower respiratory tract infections treated with antibiotics (definite code); OR acute use of oral steroids (definite plus possible courses); OR antibiotics use with a lower respiratory read code within a ±5-day window.