Patterns of care in the management of high-risk COPD in Australia (2015–2019): an observational study for the CONQUEST quality improvement program
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: We compared the management of patients with 'high-risk' COPD in Australia to national/international guidelines and quality standards, including the COllaboratioN on QUality improvement initiative for achieving Excellence in STandards of COPD care (CONQUEST). Methods: Eligible patients in the Optimum Patient Care Research Database Australia were categorized as newly diagnosed (≤12 months after diagnosis), already diagnosed, or patients with potential undiagnosed COPD, in each year from 2015 to 2019. 'High-risk' patients had ≥2 COPD exacerbations/exacerbation-like events in the last 24 months. Descriptive statistics for 2019 are reported, along with annual trends. Findings: In 2019, 11.3% (2608/22,985) of eligible patients met high-risk criteria. Most newly diagnosed high-risk COPD patients (71.3%) had no recorded lung function testing within 12 months of diagnosis. 63.6% of new COPD diagnoses had no evidence of supporting spirometry or chest CT, with the remainder having recorded chest CT only. 44.3% of already diagnosed high-risk patients had no recorded inhaled maintenance therapy, although this was recorded for 11.2% of potential undiagnosed patients. Smoking cessation support and pulmonary rehabilitation were recorded for <40% and ≤2% of diagnosed COPD patients respectively. Interpretation: There is substantial opportunity to improve diagnosis, assessment and treatment of patients with COPD in Australia by identifying, reviewing and managing high-risk patients in accordance with evidence-based guidelines and CONQUEST standards. Funding: This study was conducted by Optimum Patient Care Australia Pty Ltd (OPCA) and was partially funded by OPCA and AstraZeneca Pty Ltd. No funding was received by the Observational & Pragmatic Research Institute Pte Ltd (OPRI) for its contribution.
Authors: Christine Jenkins, Andrew P. Dickens, Alexander Evans, Porsche Le Cheng, Florian Heraud, Kerry Hancock, Anita Sharma, Belinda Cochrane, Alexander Roussos, Chantal Le Lievre, John Blakey, Sinthia Bosnic-Anticevich, Victoria Carter, Angelina Catanzariti, Clare Ghisla, Mark Hew, Brian Ko, Thao Le, Paul Leong, Vanessa M. McDonald, Chi Ming Lau, Jennifer L. Perret, Rachel Pullen, Kanchanamala Ranasinghe, Joan B. Soriano, Deb Stewart, Marije van Melle, Russell Wiseman, David Price
Institutions: UNSW Sydney, The George Institute for Global Health, QLT (Canada), The University of Melbourne, Camden and Campbelltown Hospitals, Western Sydney University, Curtin University, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, AstraZeneca (Australia), Macquarie University, Novo Nordisk Canada (Canada), The Alfred Hospital, Alfred Health, Monash University, Monash Health, Victorian Heart Hospital, University of Newcastle Australia, Griffith University, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Universitat de les Illes Balears, University of Tasmania, Nationaal ICT Instituut in de Zorg
Language: English
Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,250
Funders: AstraZeneca, AstraZeneca Australia
OpenAlex ID: W4410120135