Table 1.
Patients’ characteristics of the retrospective (exploratory) phase of the study
| Clinical variable | VCF | Non-VCF | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 74.5 (67–80) | 73 (63–80) | ns |
| Sex (M/F, %) | 87.2/12.8 | 77.8/22.2 | ns |
| FEV1 (% pred.) | 33.5 (23–45) | 35 (27–51) | ns |
| FVC (% pred.) | 53.8±21.6 | 55.9±14.2 | ns |
| TLC (% pred.) | 97.2±22.1 | 98.5±23.7 | ns |
| % RV/TLC | 62.7±10.6 | 61.5±11.4 | ns |
| DLCO (% pred.) | 43.3±17.2 | 46.8±20.8 | ns |
| PaO2 (mmHg) | 66.3±14.1 | 66.1±10.3 | ns |
| PaCO2 (mmHg) | 47 (42–51) | 45 (41–49) | ns |
| BMI (m/kg2) | 25.9±6.1 | 27.9±7.4 | P<0.05 |
| NIMV (%) | 39.5 | 34.8 | ns |
| P. aeruginosa (%) | 41.9 | 31.1 | ns |
| Cumulated dose of Corticosteroids (mg of prednisone) | 1,440 (757–3,242) | 1,092 (546–2,189) | P<0.05 |
| Smoking (pack/yr) | 58 (43–75) | 61 (44–77) | ns |
Notes: Variables are expressed as mean and standard deviation for those with normal distribution and as median and (percentiles 25%–75%) for those others with nonnormal distribution. The presence of P. aeruginosa in respiratory secretions is routinely tested in patients admitted to Hospital del Mar (Barcelona) for exacerbation of COPD.
Abbreviations: FEV1, forced expiratory volume in the first second; FVC, forced vital capacity; TLC, total lung capacity; RV, residual volume; DLCO, transfer coefficient for CO; PaO2 and PaCO2, partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide in arterial blood, respectively; P. aeruginosa, Pseudomonas aeruginosa; BMI, body mass index; NIMV, non-invasive mechanical ventilation; ns, not significant; VCF, vertebral compression fractures.