The SCOPE study: Health-care consumption related to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in France

Objective: The main objective of the SCOPE study was to estimate the total direct medical costs of patients with treated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in France according to severity stages. Methods: Total medical resources consumption of a sample of COPD patients was collected over a 12-month period through a national physician survey (including both general practitioners and lung specialists). This survey was completed for 255 patients. Data were then extrapolated to all patients with diagnosed and treated COPD in France. Average total medical resources consumption of a COPD patient per year was 4366. Among this cost 41% was directly related to COPD follow-up, 25% to COPD-related complications (mainly exacerbations), and 34% to other diseases. More than one-third of the total direct COPD cost was related to hospitalizations and 31% to drug consumption. COPD-related costs increased markedly with severity based on FEV1 (but data suggested the existence of a threshold effect). SCOPE data did not show any evidence of a significant relationship between direct medical cost and patient age, sex, addiction to tobacco, or duration of COPD. The total medical consumption of COPD patients in France was 3.5 billion and accounted for 3.5% of the total medical expenditures (prevalence of COPD was estimated 1.3% in the general population). Results: The SCOPE study revealed the high level of medical resources consumption of patients with COPD. Conclusions: The burden of COPD itself and its complications appeared to be of considerable magnitude in France especially for severe COPD.