The Experience of COPD Patients in Lockdown Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Eulogio Pleguezuelos,1,2 Amin Del Carmen,1 Eva Moreno,3 Pilar Ortega,4 Xavier Vila,4 Laura Ovejero,4 Mateu Serra-Prat,5 Elisabet Palomera,5 Manuel Vicente Garnacho-Castaño,6 Eduardo Loeb,7 Georgina Farago,7 Marc Miravitlles7 1Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Hospital de Mataró, Barcelona, Spain; 2Department of Experimental Science and Healthcare, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; 3Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Hospitalet General Hospital, L´Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain; 4Pneumology Department, Hospital de Mataró Mataró, Barcelona, Spain; 5Research Unit, Consorci Sanitari del Maresme, Barcelona, Spain; 6TGRI-AFIRS, Department of Physical Activity and Sports Science, School of Health Sciences, Tecno Campus, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; 7Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Barcelona, SpainCorrespondence: Eulogio PleguezuelosHospital de Mataró, C/Cirera s/n 08302, Mataró, Barcelona, SpainTel +34 93.7417728Fax +34 93.7417717Email epleguezuelos@csdm.catPurpose: On March 16, 2020, the Spanish government declared a state of alarm due to the rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were restricted to remain confined at home, and medical visits were cancelled for 3 months. The impact of this lockdown on the manifestations of COPD and the quality-of-life of these patients has not been explored.Patients and Methods: One hundred patients with COPD were interviewed by telephone from May 2– 18, 2020. The interviews included questions about the lockdown, missed medical appointments, fears of the disease, possible COVID-19 infection, and exacerbations of COPD suffered during this period and their management. In addition, the COPD Assessment Test, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression, and the 5-Dimension Euro Quality-of-Life questionnaires were administered.Results: Sixty-four (64%) patients claimed to have strictly complied with the lockdown, and only 42 (42%) stated they had left home at least once during lockdown. Only one patient (1%) was hospitalized due to COVID-19, and 13 (13%) patients presented an exacerbation of COPD self-managed at home with no admissions due to exacerbation of COPD during this period. A medical consultation or complementary test was cancelled in 90% of the patients, but 61% had a medical telephone visit with a high degree of satisfaction (mean 9.3/10). Most patients declared that their feeling regarding lung disease and general health was similar or even better during lockdown (82% and 81%, respectively).Conclusion: Our results indicate that in general lockdown had a low impact on COPD patients. Only one patient was affected by COVID-19, but moderate exacerbations of COPD were not infrequent. Although many medical visits and test were cancelled, patients were very satisfied with the medical telephone visits.Keywords: COPD, lockdown, COVID-19