Effects of COPD Standardized Management on COPD Exacerbation

COPD is the most common chronic respiratory disease in China. An effective and standardized condition management strategy is urgently needed to prevent acute exacerbation, improve the quality of life, and avoid premature death due to COPD. COPD management is mainly performed in community-level health institutions. Implementing COPD standardized management in primary care will help improve the level of COPD prevention and treatment in China. The investigators will carry out a multicenter, adjudicator-blinded, parallel, cluster randomized clinical trial. An estimated number of 96 secondary hospitals across the country will be involved. Each hospital plans to enroll 36 patients with COPD. The hospitals will be randomly allocated into standardized management (SM) group and control group. In SM group, standardized COPD management based-on guidelines will be delivered to patients, including inhaler use for initial and maintenance therapy, regular follow-up, long-term monitoring of lung function and respiratory symptoms, patient education, and favorable lifestyle changes. In control group, patients will receive routine care as usual. In both groups, moderate and severe exacerbations will be collected within 12 months follow-up after randomization. Group difference in annual exacerbation rate will be examined to evaluate the effect of standardized management of COPD on acute exacerbation of COPD in primary care.