Table 3.
Current ED Treatment Pattern, Disposition and Discharge Details of AECOPD Patients
| Investigation and Treatment in the ED n=249 | |
|---|---|
| Parental Corticosteroid in the ED, n (%) | 188 (75.5) |
| Antibiotic in the ED, n (%) | 72 (28.9) |
| MgSO4 in the ED, n (%) | 24 (9.6) |
| Intubation, n (%) | 7 (2.8) |
| BiPAP, n (%) | 16 (6.4) |
| CXR, n (%) | 151 (60.4) |
| LUS, n (%) | 28 (11.2) |
| CRP, n (%) | 55 (22%) |
| ABG (n=87), median (IQR) | 50.7 (41.2–61.3), max 131 |
| Duration of stay in the ED, hours, median (IQR) | 5.27 (3.14–7.38) max 22 |
| Outcome, n (%) | |
| Discharge | 136 (54.6) |
| Admission in ward | 73 (29.3) |
| Admission in ICU | 10 (4) |
| LAMA | 18 (7.2) |
| Refer | 9 (3.6) |
| Mortality in the ED | 3 (1.2) |
| Near-fatal outcome, (n=231; LAMA excluded) | 44 (19) |
| Discharge details (n=136), n (%) | |
| Oxygen advised | 88 (64.7) |
| Combination of inhaled LABA and steroid | 106 (77.9) |
| Oral corticosteroid | 16 (11.8) |
| Antibiotics | 54 (39.7) |
| Education on inhaler technique (self-reported by patients) | 116 (85.3) |
| Education on when to return to the ED | 107 (78.7) |
| Advice on vaccination | 3 (2.2) |
| Expected follow up | 110 (80.9) |
| Written action plan | 0(0) |
| Inhaler technique reaffirmed by staff in the ED | 18 (13.2) |
Abbreviations: ABG, arterial blood gas; AECOPD, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; BiPAP, bilevel positive airway pressure ventilation; CRP, C-reactive protein; CXR, chest X-ray; ED, emergency department; LUS, lung ultrasound; MgSO4, magnesium sulphate; ICU, intensive care units; IQR, interquartile range; LABA, long acting beta-agonist; LAMA, left against medical advice; SD, standard deviation.