Burden of Disease Among Exacerbating Patients with COPD Treated with Triple Therapy in Spain

Background: The cost of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Spain has been studied from different perspectives, but parameters such as the patient's phenotype have seldom been considered. Our aim was to describe the disease burden of COPD patients with frequent exacerbator phenotype, treated with triple therapy. Methods: An observational, multicenter study was carried out from December 2017 to November 2018 in pulmonology services among patients [greater than or equal to] 40 years with COPD confirmed diagnosis receiving triple therapy (ICS/LAMA/LABA) and history of [greater than or equal to] 2 moderate or [greater than or equal to] 1 severe exacerbation in the 12 months prior to the inclusion visit. COPD-related healthcare resources were collected over a 12-months period prior to the inclusion visit: pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, medical and ER visits, hospitalizations, tests and productivity loss. Costs were updated to 2019 [euro]. Patients were classified according to blood eosinophil levels: