Women hospitalized for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exhibit different in-hospital management, readmission rates, and mortality outcomes compared to men. Led by Hannah Whittaker et al., the study analyzed data from the National Asthma and COPD Audit Programme, revealing that female patients with asthma have higher readmission rates and lower odds of mortality compared to men, while female COPD patients receive more in-hospital interventions and have lower readmission and mortality rates.

Study investigators suggest potential contributions from primary care access, medication adherence, and hormonal differences to these disparities. Limitations of the study include missing lung function data, lack of medication and hospitalization history, and exclusion of transgender and nonbinary patients due to sample size constraints.

Source: BMJ Open Respiratory Research