Severe exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (ECOPD) require hospitalization in intensive care unit (ICU) in 10% of cases. This study aims to describe current practices for the management of severe ECOPD in the ICU and to evaluate adherence to the 2017 French guidelines.

From March to May 2019, we conducted a cross-sectional multicenter survey across 80 ICUs in France. A 9-item questionnaire exploring physicians practices in terms of diagnostic workup and management of severe ECOPD was sent to participating centers.

Four hundred and thirty-eight physicians responded to the survey, 75% were senior physicians, 39% were certified medical intensivists and 67% worked in a medical or respiratory ICU. Nebulized short-acting beta agonists prescription was mostly driven by the presence of wheezing, silent chest or respiratory failure, even though guidelines recommend them systematically for ECOPD (moderate adhesion to guidelines). Antibiotic prescription was mostly driven by increased sputum purulence and volume, fever, signs of respiratory distress or the severity of the underlying COPD, but was not deemed systematic in case of severity signs (poor adhesion to guidelines). Regarding the use of biomarkers for antibiotics prescription, adhesion to guidelines was moderate. The prescription of systemic corticosteroids was not deemed systematic but was rather considered if no improvement was observed 72 hours after admission (good adhesion to guidelines).

Reported management of severe ECOPD does not follow all guidelines. Future works should focus on understanding barriers to clinical practice guidelines implementation.