LAUSR

Introduction and objectives Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a costly condition. There is a need to identify patient characteristics associated with greater health care resource utilization and treatable traits. We compared COPD-related health care costs by treatment subgroups for UK patients with elevated blood eosinophil counts (BEC, defined as ≥0.45 ×109/L) who were at high risk of exacerbations (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease [GOLD] group C/D) with costs for low-risk patients (GOLD group A/B) with elevated BEC. Methods Data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink with Hospital Episode Statistics linkage were used to evaluate the GOLD grade and therapy for patients in a year prior to stable disease and elevated BEC (defined in this study as ≥0.45 ×109/L). Mean total COPD-related costs for 2016 were compared during a follow-up year for four groups of patients with elevated BEC: GOLD group C/D receiving triple therapy (TT; inhaled corticosteroid [ICS]+long acting β2-agonist [LABA]+long acting muscarinic antagonist [LAMA]), dual therapy (DT; ICS +LABA, ICS +LAMA, or LABA +LAMA), or other therapy (single or no maintenance inhaler), and GOLD group A/B. Results Of 5046 patients with COPD and elevated BEC, 19% were GOLD group C/D receiving TT, 10% were GOLD group C/D receiving DT, 6% were GOLD group C/D receiving other therapy, and 64% were GOLD group A/B. Mean total COPD-related costs were three times as high for GOLD group C/D patients receiving TT as for GOLD group A/B patients, whereas costs for patients in GOLD group C/D in other therapy subgroups were not significantly greater than for those in GOLD group A/B (table 1).Abstract P60 Table 1 COPD related health care costs Conclusions Patients graded GOLD C/D with elevated BEC receiving TT accounted for three times greater COPD-related costs than patients with less severe disease. This points to an unmet need and potential opportunity for intervention to alleviate burden of disease for these patients. Please refer to page A267 for declarations of interest related to this abstract.