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Table 3 Adherence to recommendations (GOLD and GesEPOC) evaluated in the study and classified in three categories: clinical evaluation of the patient, COPD evaluation and therapeutic interventions. The number of criteria or quality standards fulfilled was analyzed in each category

From: Variability in adherence to clinical practice guidelines and recommendations in COPD outpatients: a multi-level, cross-sectional analysis of the EPOCONSUL study

Criteria of good clinical practice evaluated in EPOCONSUL

N of criteria fulfilled

Patients (N = 4.508) %

Hospitals (N = 59) Median

Inter-hospital range

p

Clinical evaluation category

1. Was degree of dyspnea evaluated during current visit?

2. Was the number of hospital admissions in the last 12 months collected during current visit?

3. Was the number of moderate or severe exacerbations in the last 12 months collected during current visit?

4. Was current smoking habit information collected?

5. Was regular exercise data collected during current visit?

6. Are comorbidities identified in the clinical record?

6 criteria

18.3

14.6

0–100

< 0.001

>3 criteria

65.5

70

11.7–100

< 0.001

≤3 criteria

34.5

30

0–88.3

< 0.001

COPD evaluation category

1. Alfa-1-antitrypsin serum level determination available?

2. COPD severity defined in the report?

3. COPD GOLD type defined in the report?

4. COPD phenotype according to GesEPOC defined in the report?

5. 6MWT carried out on any occasion?

6. Diffusion capacity measured on any occasion?

7. Lung volumes measured on any occasion?

8. Chest CT scan carried out on any occasion in exacerbator phenotype?

8 criteria

1.5

0

0–14.6

< 0.001

> 4 criteria

30.1

27

0–89.3

< 0.001

≤ 4 criteria

69.9

73

10.7–100

< 0.001

Therapeutic intervention category

1. Is treatment adherence evaluated in any way?

2. Is inhalation technique evaluated in any way?

3. Is Pneumococcal vaccination recommended?

4. Is exercise advised during the visit?

5. Have arterial blood gases been measured on any occasion in patients on long-term oxygen therapy?

6. Is a specific intervention for smoking cessation for active smokers offered?

6 criteria

9.3

3.3

0–45.1

< 0.001

> 3 criteria

22.4

12.5

0–100

< 0.001

≤ 3 criteria

77.6

87.5

0–100

< 0.001

  1. Dichotomous variables are expressed as n and percentage. The variability between centers was expressed using the inter-hospital range (min–max). p was calculated for the variability between centers using the Kruskal–Wallis or Chi-square tests, depending on the nature of the variable