Categorization of COPD patients in Turkey via GOLD 2013 strategy document: ALPHABET study

Abstract

Hakan Gunen,1 Mehmet Yilmaz,2 Oguz Aktas,1 Pinar Ergun,3 Mediha Gonenc Ortakoylu,4 Atike Demir,5 Pelin Cetinkaya,6 Alev Gurgun,7 Muge Otlu,8 Aykut Cilli,9 Ufuk Yilmaz,5 Nurdan Kokturk,10 Ipek Candemir,3 Halil Ibrahim Yakar,1 Idilhan Ar,11 Aylin Konya111Department of Chest Diseases, Sureyyapasa Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey; 2Department of Chest Diseases, Safranbolu State Hospital, Karabuk, Turkey; 3Department of Chest Diseases, Ataturk Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey; 4Department of Chest Diseases, Yedikule Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey; 5Department of Chest Diseases, Dr Suat Seren Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey; 6Department of Chest Diseases, Cukurova Dr Askim Tufekci State Hospital, Adana, Turkey; 7Department of Chest Diseases, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey; 8Department of Chest Diseases, Bingol State Hospital, Bingol, Turkey; 9Department of Chest Diseases, Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey; 10Department of Chest Diseases, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey; 11Medical Department, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Istanbul, TurkeyObjective: To determine distribution of COPD assessment categories and physicians’ adherence to Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2013 strategy in Turkish COPD patients.Methods: A total of 1,610 COPD patients (mean [standard deviation] age: 62.6 [9.9] years, 85.7% were males) were included in this multicenter, non-interventional, cross-sectional study. Patients were categorized via GOLD 2013 strategy document. Consistency between reported and re-classified GOLD categories, and measures used for symptom evaluation and exacerbation was analyzed.Results: Overall, 41.1% of patients were assigned to GOLD A, while 13.2% were assigned to GOLD C categories. Long-acting beta-2 agonist + long-acting muscarinic antagonist + inhaled corticosteroid regimen was the most common treatment (62.0%). Over-treatment was noted in >70% of GOLD A, B, and C patients. A high consistency between measures of symptom evaluation (Kappa coefficient =0.993, P<0.0001) and a low-moderate consistency between exacerbation risk measures (Kappa coefficient =0.237, P<0.0001) were noted.Conclusion: Our findings revealed GOLD A as the most prevalent category in Turkish cohort of COPD patients. Group assignment was altered depending on the chosen measure for symptom and risk assessment. Physician non-adherence to treatment recommendations in GOLD 2013 document leading to over-treatment in patients assigned to GOLD A, B, and C categories was also detected.Keywords: combined COPD assessment, symptoms, exacerbation risk, physician adherence, Turkey