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Table 1 Main data needed at various time points for the IRYSS-COPD Appropriateness Study

From: The IRYSS-COPD appropriateness study: objectives, methodology, and description of the prospective cohort

Data needed at various time points

Evaluation in the ED

   Arterial blood gases parameters including PO2, PCO2 and pH.

   O2 saturation

   Presence of diabetes mellitus

   Presence of cardiovascular disease

   Expected adherence to treatment

   Response to previous treatments

   Severity of baseline COPD

   Number of hospital admissions in the year preceding the exacerbation

   Need for oxygen therapy at home

   Hemodynamic stability

   Level of consciousness, measured by the Glasgow Coma Scale [14]

   Presence of dyspnea at rest

   Exercise tolerance in the ED

   Respiratory rate

   Presence of paradoxical breathing or use of accessory respiratory musculature

   Sociodemographic information

Decision to admit or discharge home

   Arterial blood gases parameters including PO2, PCO2 and pH.

   O2 saturation

   Hemodynamic stability

   Level of consciousness, measured by the Glasgow Coma Scale[14]

   Presence of dyspnea at rest

   Respiratory rate

   Presence of paradoxical breathing or use of accessory respiratory musculature

If admitted, in the hospital

   Biological parameters such as arterial blood gases and blood glucose.

   Respiratory rate

   Presence of cardiac failure

   Results of chest x-ray

   Charlson Comorbidity Index[15]

   Medications prescribed for the acute episode and subsequent admission, methods of administration, and number of days of intravenous drug therapy.

   In-hospital morbidity and mortality: the appearance of complications, including all signs, symptoms, syndromes or diseases, that appeared or worsened during the hospital stay that were attributable to COPD or it treatment.

   Death

   Admission to an Intensive Care Unit (UCI) or to an Intermediate Respiratory Care Unit (IRCU); or need for Invasive Mechanical Ventilation (IMV) or Non-Invasive Mechanical Ventilation (NIMV)

   Length of stay

   General health status, from response to question 1 of the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire[16], degree of dyspnea, based on the Medical Research Council Dyspnea Index[17], and physical activity level (based on a scale employed previously in various studies at 1, and 7 days [18].

   Quality of life, measured by the EuroQol-5D questionnaire at 1, and 7 days [19, 20].

Follow-up on admitted patients (after hospital discharge and up to 60 days post-discharge)

   General health status, from response to question 1 of the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire[16], degree of dyspnea, based on the Medical Research Council Dyspnea Index[17], and physical activity level (based on a scale employed previously in various studies) [18].

   Quality of life, measured by the EuroQol-5D questionnaire [19, 20].

   Readmission within 30 days of the index exacerbation for the same reason, or readmission for any reason within 60 days after the index exacerbation

   Complications, including all signs, symptoms, syndromes or diseases that appeared or worsened during the 60-day observation period attributable to COPD or its treatment

   Variables collected from medical records in all patients with known COPD

   Baseline severity of COPD as measured by FEV1

   Hospital admissions during the previous 12 months

   Baseline therapy (inhaled long-acting beta agonist, long-acting anticholinergics, inhaled corticosteroid and/or supplemental oxygen)

   Presence of associated diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and/or valve disease, cor pulmonale, peptic ulcer disease, psychiatric disorders, rheumatic disease, history of stroke or deep vein thrombosis, and others needed to determine the Charlson Comorbidity Index

   Social support and level of functional dependency

Following discharge home from the ED (1, 7, and 60 days post-discharge)

   General health status, from response to question 1 of the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire[16], degree of dyspnea, based on the Medical Research Council Dyspnea Index[17], and physical activity level (based on a scale employed previously in various studies at 1, 7, and at 60 days [18].

   Quality of life, measured by the EuroQol-5D questionnaire at 1, 7, and at 60 days [19, 20].

   Charlson Comorbidity Index[15]

   Medication use

   Response to medications

   Need for supplemental oxygen

   Visits to the patient's primary care physician, subsequent ED visits or hospital readmissions

   Death, complications, presence of other symptoms

   Level of social support

   Level of functional dependency