• Jonathan M Iaccarino, Katrina Steiling, Christopher G Slatore, Mari-Lynn Drainoni, and Renda Soylemez Wiener.
• The Pulmonary Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: jmi@bu.edu.
• Respir Med. 2020 Sep 1; 171: 106075.

BackgroundWhile pulmonary nodule guidelines provide follow-up recommendations based on nodule size and malignancy risk, these are inconsistently followed in clinical practice. In this study, we sought to identify patient characteristics associated with guideline-concordant nodule follow-up.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with a pulmonary nodule between 2011 and 2014 at Boston Medical Center. Appropriate nodule follow-up evaluation was based upon the 2005 Fleischner Society Guidelines. In primary analysis, we compared patients with guideline-concordant follow-up to those with delayed or absent follow-up. In secondary analysis, we compared those with any follow-up to those without follow-up as well as the rate of guideline-concordant follow-up in patients seen by a pulmonologist.ResultsOf 3916 patients diagnosed with a pulmonary nodule, 1117 were included for analysis. Overall, 598 (53.5%) patients received guideline-concordant follow-up. Lower rates of guideline concordance were seen in patients of Hispanic ethnicity (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.36-1.00), while higher rates were seen for nodules 7-8 mm (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.02-2.35) and nodules >8 mm (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.01-2.20). Having a history of COPD (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.26-2.43), and being seen by a pulmonologist (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.51-2.58) were also associated with guideline concordance. Among patients seen by a pulmonologist, 62.2% received guideline-concordant follow-up.ConclusionOverall rates of pulmonary nodule follow-up are low. Patient ethnicity, COPD history, nodule size and involvement of a pulmonologist may impact follow-up rates and are potential targets for implementation interventions to improve pulmonary nodule follow-up.Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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