Table 2 Descriptive statistics for the sample of COPD patients. SD = standard deviation

No. of patients

24,074

No. of person-years

148,128

Follow-up years per patient, mean (SD)

6.2 (3.0)

Age at inclusion, mean (SD)

65 (12)

Females (n)

47% (11,295)

Number of comorbidities, mean (SD)

4.0 (2.3)

Receiving disability pension prior to or during follow-up (n)

35% (8,533)

Receiving home nursing during follow-up (n)

28% (6,825)

Admitted to nursing home during follow-up (n)

6% (1,344)

Dead within follow-up (n)

27% (6,521)

No. patients with at least one COPD hospital admission during follow-up

8,829

No. person-years with at least one COPD hospital admission during follow-up

58,193

Inpatient care

Total

% person-years with > 0 occurrences (n)

Mean per patient per year

1st -3rd quartile

COPD hospital admissions, total sample

25,012

10.5% (15,497)

0.2

0.0-0.2

-Among patients with COPD hospital admissions during follow-up only

25,012

26.6% (15,497)

0.6

0.1–0.6

Non-COPD hospital admissions

80,601

27.8% (41,152)

0.6

0.0-0.7

-Among patients with COPD hospital admissions during follow-up only

42,670

34.8% (20,263)

0.8

0.2-1.0

Readmissions:

No. of COPD index admissions used in analysis

18,372

No outpatient respiratory care during year prior to index admission (n)

11.1% (2,046)

90-day COPD readmissions

2,642

10.8% (2,095) of

index admissions

0.14 per admission

0.0–0.0 per admission

Outpatient care, respiratory diagnoses

Total

% person-years with > 0 occurrences (n)

Mean per patient per year

1st -3rd quartile

GP contacts

485,121

67.3% (99,714)

3.3

1.0-4.3

Emergency room contacts

26,388

9.9% (14,636)

0.1

0.0–0.0

Physiotherapy contacts

292,104

6.6% (9,717)

1.6

0.0–0.0

Contract specialist contacts

42,679

13.6% (20,174)

0.3

0.0-0.2

Outpatient hospital contacts

64,709

17.2% (25,512)

0.4

0.0-0.4

Rehabilitation

12,297

2.2% (3,255)

0.1

0.0–0.0

Outpatient care, non-respiratory diagnoses

GP contacts

1,488,029

90.5% (134,066)

10.4

4.3–13.7

Emergency room contacts

67,217

19.4% (28,753)

0.7

0.0-0.7

Physiotherapy contacts

539,714

18.2% (26,964)

0.2

0.0-0.1

Contract specialist contacts,

196,774

42.2% (62,552)

1.3

0.0-1.7

Outpatient hospital contacts

371,300

54.6% (80,828)

2.7

0.5–3.3

Rehabilitation

35,111

7.4% (11,013)

0.3

0.0-0.1

Care indicators

Continuity of GP care

N/A

N/A

0.7

0.6–0.9

Spirometry performed at GP or contract specialist

34,440

23.3% (34,440)

0.2

0.0-0.4

Home visits by GP or physiotherapist

21,972

6.2% (9,198)

0.2

0.0-0.1

Care interaction fees

32,503

9.2% (13,564)

0.3

0.0-0.2