Table 1.

Demographic and laboratory characteristics at admission

Total patients randomized	58
Age (main ± SD)	65.6 ± 9
Sex (male) [n(%)]	48 (82.7%)
Cause of exacerbation [No (%)]
Upper respiratory tract infections including bronchitis	38 (65.5%)
Pneumonia	7 (12%)
Other	8 (13.7)
Co-morbidities [n(%)]
CVDs*	36 (62%)
Diabetes Mellitus	7 (12.0%)
Obesity	19 (32.7)
Hypertension	28 (48.2)
Cachexia	2 (3.4%)
Respiratory rate (main ± SD)	32.5 ± 5
Heart rate (bpm) (main ± SD)	112 ± 8
pH (main ± SD)	7.25 ± 0.08
PaO2 kPa (main ± SD)	6.2 ± 1.0
PaCO2 kPa (main QUOTE ± SD)	9.7 ± 2.4
APACHE** II (main ± SD)	18.3 ± 6.1
GSC*** (main ± SD)	12.2 ± 2.8

APACHE

^**Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation

CVD

^*cardiovascular diseases

GCS

^***Glasgow coma scale.