Using the ADO Index and Comorbidities to Predict Medical Cost in COPD

Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common chronic respiratory disease that in the long term may develop into respiratory failure or even cause death and may coexist with other diseases. Over time, it may incur huge medical expenses, resulting in a heavy socio-economy burden. The ADO (including age, dyspnea, and airflow obstruction) index is a predictor of the number and severity of acute exacerbations of COPD. This study focused on the correlation between the ADO index, comorbidity, and healthcare resource utilization in COPD. Methods: This is a retrospective study of clinical outcomes of COPD patients with complete ADO index data in our hospital from January 2015 to December 2016. Based on the patientsI medical records in our hospitalIs electronic database from January 1, 2015 to August 31, 2017, we analyzed the correlation between ADO index, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), and medical resources. Results: Of the 396 patients with COPD who met the inclusion criteria, 382 (96.5%) were male, with an average age of 71.3 ± 8.4 years. Healthcare resource utilization was positively correlated with the ADO index during the 32 months of retrospective clinical outcomes. The study found a significant association between the ADO index and the CCI of COPD patients ( P P P P P = 0.03), and total medical expenses ( P = 0.037). Conclusions: This study demonstrates the value of examining the ADO index and comorbidities that can predict healthcare resource utilization in COPD.