Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease state characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible, and progressive lung function decline. In Italy, an estimated 2.6 million men and women have COPD, and the disease causes around 18000 deaths each year. In addition to mortality, morbidity from COPD results in substantial use of secondary healthcare resources. The burden of COPD in Italy may be due to the underdiagnosis of the disease by healthcare professionals, particularly in the early stages of the disease, and a lack of awareness among physicians of recommended treatment practices. In an attempt to address the need for information on the burden of COPD, a large-scale international survey, Confronting COPD in North America and Europe, assessed clinical outcomes, use of healthcare resources and loss of productivity in the workplace, and the economic cost of this disease in Italy and six other countries. In Italy, the economic analysis of the survey data showed that the mean annual cost of COPD to the healthcare system was 261.25 per patient. Indirect costs were estimated at 47.29 per patient, bringing the societal cost of the disease to 1308.54 per patient. Three-quarters of the direct per patient cost of COPD in Italy were accounted for by inpatient hospitalizations (963.10), suggesting that interventions aimed at preventing exacerbations could alleviate the burden of COPD in Italy. The high impact of COPD on the Italian healthcare system is also likely to be a consequence of the underdiagnosis and undertreatment of the disease, suggesting that costs may be reduced by increasing the utilization of spirometry as a diagnostic tool, and improving physician adherence to treatment guidelines. Patients with severe COPD and other comorbidities showed higher costs (6366 and 1861, respectively) than patients with mild disease (441) or no comorbidities (1021), underlying the importance of smoking cessation interventions to prevent disease progression.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Respiratory Medicine |
| Volume | 97 |
| Issue number | SUPPL. C |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 1 2003 |
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Keywords
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Direct costs
- Economic impact
- Hospitalization
- Indirect costs
- Italy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Cite this
The burden of COPD in Italy : Results from the Confronting COPD survey. / Dal Negro, Roberto; Rossi, A.; Cerveri, I.
In: Respiratory Medicine, Vol. 97, No. SUPPL. C, 01.03.2003.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The burden of COPD in Italy
T2 - Results from the Confronting COPD survey
AU - Dal Negro, Roberto
AU - Rossi, A.
AU - Cerveri, I.
PY - 2003/3/1
Y1 - 2003/3/1
N2 - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease state characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible, and progressive lung function decline. In Italy, an estimated 2.6 million men and women have COPD, and the disease causes around 18000 deaths each year. In addition to mortality, morbidity from COPD results in substantial use of secondary healthcare resources. The burden of COPD in Italy may be due to the underdiagnosis of the disease by healthcare professionals, particularly in the early stages of the disease, and a lack of awareness among physicians of recommended treatment practices. In an attempt to address the need for information on the burden of COPD, a large-scale international survey, Confronting COPD in North America and Europe, assessed clinical outcomes, use of healthcare resources and loss of productivity in the workplace, and the economic cost of this disease in Italy and six other countries. In Italy, the economic analysis of the survey data showed that the mean annual cost of COPD to the healthcare system was 261.25 per patient. Indirect costs were estimated at 47.29 per patient, bringing the societal cost of the disease to 1308.54 per patient. Three-quarters of the direct per patient cost of COPD in Italy were accounted for by inpatient hospitalizations (963.10), suggesting that interventions aimed at preventing exacerbations could alleviate the burden of COPD in Italy. The high impact of COPD on the Italian healthcare system is also likely to be a consequence of the underdiagnosis and undertreatment of the disease, suggesting that costs may be reduced by increasing the utilization of spirometry as a diagnostic tool, and improving physician adherence to treatment guidelines. Patients with severe COPD and other comorbidities showed higher costs (6366 and 1861, respectively) than patients with mild disease (441) or no comorbidities (1021), underlying the importance of smoking cessation interventions to prevent disease progression.
AB - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease state characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible, and progressive lung function decline. In Italy, an estimated 2.6 million men and women have COPD, and the disease causes around 18000 deaths each year. In addition to mortality, morbidity from COPD results in substantial use of secondary healthcare resources. The burden of COPD in Italy may be due to the underdiagnosis of the disease by healthcare professionals, particularly in the early stages of the disease, and a lack of awareness among physicians of recommended treatment practices. In an attempt to address the need for information on the burden of COPD, a large-scale international survey, Confronting COPD in North America and Europe, assessed clinical outcomes, use of healthcare resources and loss of productivity in the workplace, and the economic cost of this disease in Italy and six other countries. In Italy, the economic analysis of the survey data showed that the mean annual cost of COPD to the healthcare system was 261.25 per patient. Indirect costs were estimated at 47.29 per patient, bringing the societal cost of the disease to 1308.54 per patient. Three-quarters of the direct per patient cost of COPD in Italy were accounted for by inpatient hospitalizations (963.10), suggesting that interventions aimed at preventing exacerbations could alleviate the burden of COPD in Italy. The high impact of COPD on the Italian healthcare system is also likely to be a consequence of the underdiagnosis and undertreatment of the disease, suggesting that costs may be reduced by increasing the utilization of spirometry as a diagnostic tool, and improving physician adherence to treatment guidelines. Patients with severe COPD and other comorbidities showed higher costs (6366 and 1861, respectively) than patients with mild disease (441) or no comorbidities (1021), underlying the importance of smoking cessation interventions to prevent disease progression.
KW - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
KW - Direct costs
KW - Economic impact
KW - Hospitalization
KW - Indirect costs
KW - Italy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037373169&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0037373169&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0954-6111(03)80024-0
DO - 10.1016/S0954-6111(03)80024-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 12647942
AN - SCOPUS:0037373169
VL - 97
JO - Respiratory Medicine
JF - Respiratory Medicine
SN - 0954-6111
IS - SUPPL. C
ER -