Table 1. Cohort characteristics.
| Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Male (%) | 83 (89.2) |
| Age, years | 67 (61,74) |
| Current smokers (%) | 21 (22.6%) |
| Pack years | 25 (22,34) |
| Duration of COPD, years | 6 (5,9) |
| Cor pulmonale (%) | 31 (33.3) |
| FEV1 (% pred) | 47 (43,55) |
| Frequency of exacerbation in previous year | |
| ≥2 | 44 (47.3) |
| <2 | 49 (52.7) |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 21.6 (19.0,25.7) |
| Comorbidities | |
| Arterial hypertension | 30 (32.3) |
| Ischemic heart disease | 20 (21.5) |
| Diabetes | 13 (14.0) |
| Congestive heart failure | 13 (14.0) |
| Renal disease | 7 (7.5) |
| Pre-admission therapy | |
| Chronic oxygen therapy | 21 (22.6) |
| Steroid treatment | |
| long-term ICS treatmentΔ | 43 (46.2) |
| long-term corticosteroid use* | 7 (7.5) |
| Anthonisen type | |
| Type I | 62 (66.7) |
| Type II–III | 31 (33.3) |
| Cold symptom at presentation | 21 (22.6) |
Data are presented as median (interquartile ranges) for numerical variables or as number (%) for categorical variables.
FEV1: forced expiratory volume in 1 sec; COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; AECOPD: Acute Exacerbations of COPD. Δequivalent to Fluticasone Propionate (FP) ≥ 500 ug/day for more than 1 year. *oral corticosteroids on a regular basis (more than three months treatment with 7.5 mg per day on prednisone or equivalent).