Early Assisted Discharge for COPD Exacerbations With Telemonitoring.

Early Assisted Discharge With Generic Community Nursing and Pulmonary Physicians vs Telemonitoring at Home for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations

To determine if an early assisted discharge program for acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD), with telemonitoring and telephone control, is equally effective and more efficient in terms of use of health care resources, that a home care provided by hospital respiratory nurses and pulmonologists.

This study seeks to improve the health of patients with AECOPD by home care after discharge from the Hospital using the technology of the information and the communication. The investigators want evaluate the efficiency, satisfaction (patients, keepers) and effectiveness of a program of early discharge with home care in patients with AECOPD with telemonitoring and telephone control, in relation to the traditional protocol of home care based on nurse and pulmonologist visits.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients admitted to the hospital with COPD exacerbation
• No concomitant serious unstable diseases
• Without fever in 48 hours
• Aerosol treatment at the most every 6 hours
• Treatment with glucocorticoid intravenous < 40 mg twice a day
• A thoracic radiograph without new disease
• Subjective improvement of the patient
• Familiar suitable environment

Exclusion Criteria:

• Neoplasias and other chronic diseases in terminal situation
• Alcoholism
• Intravenous medication
• Disability to understand and take part in the program
• Admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) or non invasive mechanical ventilation during the exacerbation
• Unstability hemodynamic
• To be an institutionalized patient.