Table 2.

Patient characteristics at start of "Follow-up", after the first transition and after the second transition.

Variable	Start of "Follow-up" N° = 123,162	Transition 1°–2° State N° = 9,238	Transition 2°–3° State N° = 1,935
	Percentage or Mean (SD)
Age at start of "follow-up"	74.36 ± 9.11	74.43 ± 8.60	74.00 ± 8.24
Sex (Male)	62.97	69.18	74.16
Anamnesis Chronic Resp. Disease	14.32	28.21	37.42
COPD in Principal Diagn. al 1° Admiss.	32.19	59.42	68.22
Specific Diagnosis
491.20	54.88	35.32	21.45
492.21	35.77	53.64	66,46
518.81	16.17	26.86	44,50
Charlson Index	0.65 ± 0.97	0.56 ± 0.88	0.54 ± 0.86
Group of comorbities
Upper resp. Tract infection	0.28	0.27	0,26
Lower resp. Tract infection	0.39	0.65	1.19
Septicaemia	0.16	0.03	-
Heart Failure	3.07	3.27	3,82
Discharge ward
Intensive Care	4.69	4.09	4,86
Recovery and Rehabilitation	2.42	5.61	11.11
Internal Medicine	35.53	41.43	35.71
Important others *	43.41	23.31	10.59
Pneumology	13.75	25.49	37.67
University-Research Hospitals	31.32	23.42	19.79

*Medical or Surgical