Table 1

Characteristics of general practices and baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of COPD patients assigned to intervention (structured education pulmonary rehabilitation programme) or continued usual care

CharacteristicsIntervention group (n=178 participants)Control group (n=172 participants)
No. of practices1616
Median (range) of participants per cluster11 (8–14)10 (9–14)
GP practice (cluster)
 Urban32 (18.0)61 (35.5)
 Rural146 (82.0)111 (64.5)
 <5000 patients88 (49.4)64 (37.2)
 >5000 patients90 (50.6)108 (62.8)
Mean (SD) age (years)68.8 (10.2)68.4 (10.3)
Gender
 Male (n, %)117 (65.7)106 (61.6)
 Female (n, %)61 (34.3)66 (38.4)
Marital status
 Married/living with partner111 (62.4)115 (66.9)
 Separated/divorced15 (8.4)10 (5.8)
 Widowed26 (14.6)21 (12.2)
 Single/never married26 (14.6)26 (15.1)
 Medical card holder141 (79.2)152 (88.4)
Employment status
 Paid work: employee17 (9.6)12 (7.0)
 Paid work: self-employed14 (7.9)8 (4.7)
 Homemaker26 (14.6)19 (11.0)
 Unemployed looking for work8 (4.5)8 (4.7)
 Retired92 (51.7)111 (64.5)
 Unable to work disability16 (9.0)9 (5.2)
 Other5 (2.8)5 (2.9)
Spirometry (postbronchodilator)
 FEV1 (% predicted) (mean (SD))57.6 (14.3)59.7 (13.8)
 FEV1 (mean (SD))1.5 (0.49)1.5 (0.52)
 FEV1 to FVC % (mean (SD))52.9 (11.5)55.4 (11.9)
GOLD 3 severe COPD* n=97 (27.7%)56 (31.5%)41 (23.8%)
GOLD 2 moderate COPD* n=253 (72.3%)122 (68.5%)131 (76.2%)
Patient history (from medical records)
 Hypertension or high cholesterol66 (37.1)76 (44.2)
 Cardiovascular disease41 (23.0)62 (36.0)
 Muscoskeletal problems66 (37.1)73 (42.4)
 Diabetes22 (12.4)28 (16.3)
 Asthma†38 (22.1)41 (23.0)
 Gastrointestinal disorders43 (24.2)46 (26.7)
 CNS disorders18 (10.1)21 (12.2)
 Mental health problems28 (15.7)27 (15.7)
 Use of inhalers155 (87.1)158 (91.9)
 Home oxygen6 (3.4)11 (6.4)
 Never smoked16 (9.0)27 (15.7)
 Current smoker (n, %)70 (39.3)59 (34.3)
 Males currently smoking (n, %)44 (37.6%)33 (31.1%)
 Females currently smoking (n, %)26 (42.6%)26 (39.4%)
  • Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise.

  • *Classification of COPD based on the GOLD (2006) classification criteria.

  • †Three participants reversed greater than what was indicated (>12% and 200 ml increase in FEV1) but the results for these three participants were still within the ranges of results for COPD on their postbronchodilator spirometry. None of the other FEV1 spirometry results were outside the reversibility limits.

  • CNS, central nervous system disorders; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC, forced vital capacity; GP, general practitioner.