COPD in Germany: Use of Diagnostic Measures Including Blood Eosinophil Counts in Daily Practice.

ABSTRACT:

Background

 Accumulating evidence on the role of blood eosinophils as a biomarker prompted the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) committee to refine the existing treatment algorithm by incorporating eosinophil counts into treatment recommendations. However, there is a lack of data on when, why and how frequently such blood tests and other measures are being performed by German private respiratory specialists.

Methods

 A questionnaire evaluating doctors' opinions on the use of diagnostic measures at initial diagnosis and during follow-up, including blood eosinophil count in patients with COPD, was completed by 27 respiratory specialists. Medical records from the past 12 months of 251 patients treated by the same physicians were reviewed retrospecti

SUBMITTER: Greulich T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8093015 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature