OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the comorbidity profile, use of health care resources and medical costs of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treated at the hospital level in Spain.

METHODS: Admission records of patients with COPD and at least two admissions registered between January 2016 and December 2020 were obtained from a Spanish hospital discharge database and analyzed in a retrospective multicenter study. All records of outpatient visits and hospital admissions were claimed using the corresponding ICD 10 codes.

RESULTS: Data from 95,140 patients were obtained, with a median age of 75 years and 69.1% of males. Mean Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) was 1.9 in the index admission, increasing to 2.1 during the follow-up period. An acute exacerbation of COPD was registered in 93.6% of patients in the index admission. The majority of secondary diagnoses registered included respiratory failure (56.8%), essential hypertension (36.9%), hypercholesterolemia (26.7%) and diabetes (26.3%). The age-adjusted incidence rate of COPD was 22.6 per 10,000 persons over the study period, decreasing significantly in the year 2020. Mortality rate was 4.1% for COPD patients, increasing to 6.6% in the year 2020. The year 2020, 191 patients registered a COVID-19 infection, with a mortality rate of 23.0%. Length of hospital stay, and intensive care unit (ICU) stay increased in the follow-up period versus the index admission, similar to admission costs. Mean admission cost was 3212€ in the index admission, with cost increases being associated with age, length of stay, ICU stay and CCI.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients’ condition worsened significantly over the follow-up period, in terms of comorbidity and dependence on respirator, with an increased mortality rate and higher admission costs. Further research will be required to evaluate the total burden of COPD in Spain, considering indirect and societal costs.