Agreement between a simple dyspnea-guided treatment algorithm for stable COPD and the GOLD guidelines: a pilot study

Figures & data

Figure 1 Proposed treatment algorithm.

Abbreviation: mMRC, Modified Medical Research Council scale.

Table 1 Main characteristics of the primary and specialized care cohorts

	Primary care cohort N=100	Respiratory care cohort N=150	P-value
Age, years	65.6±10.6	61.8±9.7	0.004
Male/female, %	67.0/33.0	57.5/42.5	0.134
BMI	26.86±5.21	26.53±4.97	0.600
FEV1%	66.6±22.7	57.4±20.5	0.001
Exacerbations			0.464*
None	46 (46.0)	68 (45.3)
1	22 (22.0)	27 (18.0)
2	17 (17.0)	24 (16.0)
≥3	15 (15.0)	31 (20.7)
mMRC ≥2	43 (43.0)	78 (52.0)	0.163
GOLD grade			0.005*
A	41 (41.0)	39 (26.0)
B	16 (16.0)	18 (12.0)
C	16 (16.0)	35 (22.0)
D	27 (27.0)	60 (39.9)

Notes:

* Data are shown as mean ± SD and frequencies (%); linear association test.

Abbreviations: GOLD, Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease; mMRC, modified Medical Research Council scale; SD, standard deviation.

Table 2 Rate of coincidence of the new algorithm with current GOLD recommendations (primary care, respiratory care, and both cohorts together)

	Cohort		Total
	Primary	Respiratory
Coincidence
n	93	137	228
%	93.0	91.8	92.3
Possible coincidence
n	7	13	19
%	7.0	8.2	7.7
Total
n	100	150	250

Abbreviation: GOLD, Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease.

Figure 2 Whole sample distribution by GOLD grades.

Note: Colors show coincidence, possible coincidence, or non-coincidence in the whole cohort.
Abbreviations: GOLD, Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease; LABA, long-acting beta adrenergic; LAMA, long-acting anticholinergic.