Inclusion and exclusion criteria (applied at admission) and randomisation criteria (applied at day 3 of admission)
| Inclusion criteria (checked on day 1) | Exclusion criteria (checked on day 1) |
|---|---|
| Age ≥40 years | Major uncontrolled co morbidity, including pneumonia that is prominent, heart failure that is prominent or acute changes on ECG and (suspected) underlying malignancy |
| Competent to give informed consent | Mental disability, including dementia, impaired level of consciousness and acute confusion |
| Diagnosed with COPD. COPD was defined as at least GOLD stage I and 10 pack years of smoking | Living outside care region of the home care organisation |
| Hospitalisation for COPD exacerbation | Inability to understand the programme |
| Indication for admission to intensive care unit or for non-invasive ventilation | |
| Active alcohol and/or drug abuse | |
| Insufficient availability of informal care at home | |
| Randomisation criteria (checked on day 3) | |
| Completed Informed Consent on day three of admission | |
| Acceptable general health: | |
| ▪ Decrease physical complaints | |
| ▪ Non-dependency of therapies that cannot be given at home (intravenous therapy and newly prescribed oxygen supply) | |
| ▪ Being able to visit toilet independently | |
| Normal or moderately increased blood sugar levels, defined as ≤15 or ≥15 mmol/l but patient is capable to regulate blood sugar levels independently | |
| Respiratory complaints of dyspnoea, wheezing and rhonchi must have decreased in comparison with day of admission | |
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.