Clinical pharmacy-led disease and medicine management programme for patients with COPD.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to investigate the impact of a disease and medicine management programme, focusing on self-management in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).


METHODS
One hundred and seventy-three patients (mean age 67 years; 54% female) were recruited; 86 patients were randomly assigned to an intervention group and 87 to a usual care (control) group. Intervention patients received education on disease state, medications and breathing techniques. Patients were given booklets and a customized action plan (antibiotic and oral steroid to be initiated promptly by patients for exacerbations). Patients were followed up at 6 and 12 months during a scheduled visit. The St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), COPD Knowledge and Morisky adherence questionnaires were administered to all patients at baseline, 6 and 12 months. Outcome measures included hospital admissions, emergency department (ED) visits, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and medication adherence.


RESULTS
Over the 12-month period in the intervention group, ED visits decreased by 50% (P= 0.02) and hospitalization by approximately 60% (P= 0.01). On the SGRQ, differences reached statistical significance on the symptom (-7.5; P= 0.04) and impact (-7.4; P= 0.03) subscales but not on the physical activity subscale. There was a significant difference between the intervention and usual care groups regarding knowledge scores (75.0 vs. 59.3; P= 0.001) and good adherence to medication (77.8% vs. 60.0%, P= 0.019). There was no significant difference regarding smoking between study groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical pharmacy-led management programme can improve adherence, reduce the need for hospital care in patients with COPD and improve aspects of their HRQoL.
Khdour
Maher R
MR
Clinical and Practice Research Group (CPRG), School of Pharmacy, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
Kidney
Joseph C
JC
Smyth
Bronagh M
BM
McElnay
James C
JC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D015397:Program Evaluation; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012648:Self Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires