The Burden of Illness Related to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations in Québec, Canada

Figure 5

Relative risk of health care resource utilization for (a) COPD therapy and (b) health care visits in patients experiencing ≥1 severe exacerbation (,802) versus “no” or ≥1 moderate exacerbation (,547) (IDRR). A moderate exacerbation was defined as a physician visit with a diagnosis code for COPD and an OCS or an antibiotic prescription for a respiratory infection (filled within 2 weeks of the physician visit). Patients included in this column experienced ≥1 moderate exacerbation but no severe exacerbations. A severe exacerbation was defined as an ER visit with a primary diagnosis code for COPD or hospitalization with a primary discharge diagnosis code for COPD; patients included in this column experienced ≥1 severe exacerbation but may also have ≥1 moderate exacerbation; CI, confidence interval; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ER, emergency room; FP/SAL, fluticasone propionate/salmeterol; HCU, health care resource utilization; ICS, inhaled corticosteroid; ICU, intensive care unit; IDRR, incidence density rate ratio; LABA, long-acting agonist; OCS, oral corticosteroid; SAAC, short-acting anticholinergic; SABA, short-acting agonist.

(a)

(b)