Clinical features of Japanese patients with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

ABSTRACT: Background: Exacerbations are critical events in chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD). The frequency of COPD exacerbations is associated with the prognosis, including mortality, but no useful biomarker has been established.

Methods: The present retrospective study investigated 481 COPD patients. Clinical features in the stable period were compared between patients who experienced severe exacerbation (n?=?88, 18.3%) and those who never experienced severe exacerbation (n?=?393, 81.7%). In the patients who experienced exacerbations, clinical features were also compared between frequent exacerbators (exacerbation rate???2 times/year, n?=?27, 30.7%) and infrequent exacerbators (1 time/year, n?=?61, 69.3%).

Results: Compared to COPD patients who never experienced exacerbations, body mass index (BMI), serum albumin, and pulmonary functions were significantly lower, and the cardiovascular disease comorbidity rate, COPD assessment test score, modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale, and use of long-term oxygen therapy, long-acting ?₂ adrenergic agonist therapy, inhaled corticosteroid therapy, and macrolide therapy were significantly higher in COPD patients with exacerbations (all p?
Conclusion: Blood eosinophil in the stable period is the factor most correlated with the frequency of severe exacerbations.

Trial registration: The patients in this study was registered retrospectively.

SUBMITTER: Tashiro H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7720558 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature