Evaluation of the Patterns of Care Provided to Patients With COPD Compared to Patients With Lung Cancer Who Died in Hospital

• Published in: American journal of hospice & palliative medicine Vol. 33; no. 8; p. 717
• Main Authors: Hyasat, Kais, Sriram, Krishna B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.09.2016
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Female; Humans; Length of Stay; Lung Neoplasms - nursing; Male; Middle Aged; Palliative Care - statistics & numerical data; Patient Care Management; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - nursing; Resuscitation Orders; Retrospective Studies; Terminal Care - statistics & numerical data; lung cancer; palliative care; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• ISSN: 1938-2715
• DOI: 10.1177/1049909115586395

There is limited information about the end-of-life care provided to patients with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in comparison to patients with lung cancer. We compared the end-of-life care provided to patients with COPD versus patients with lung cancer who died in hospital over a 12-month period in our institution. During the study period, 89 patients died due to COPD (n = 34) or lung cancer (n = 55). Compared to patients with lung cancer, patients with COPD received less palliative care services (50% vs 9%, P < .001) and underwent more diagnostic tests and received more life-prolonging measures. Toward the end of their life, patients with COPD received fewer symptom-alleviating treatments and palliative care services.