Table 2.

Mean number of chronic comorbid diseases, sorted by age group

Age (years)	Men (SD; range)	Women (SD; range)	Total (SD; range)	P value*
16–29	0.52 (0.74; 0–5)	0.72 (0.91; 0–7)	0.63 (0.85; 0–7)	<0.001
30–44	0.86 (1.15; 0–8)	1.18 (1.31; 0–8)	1.05 (1.26; 0–8)	<0.001
45–59	1.72 (1.69; 0–11)	2.05 (1.82; 0–12	1.91 (1.77; 0–12)	<0.001
60–74	3.26 (2.24; 0–17)	3.49 (2.27; 0–14))	3.40 (2.26; 0–17)	0.023
75+	5.02 (2.66; 0–14)	5.01 (2.65; 0–18)	5.02 (2.66; 0–18)	0.974
Total	1.72 (2.04; 0–17)	2.03 (2.13; 0–18)	1.90 (2.10; 0–18)a	<0.001

SD standard deviation, COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

*P value calculated for the difference in mean between men and women

^aAs a reference: in a previous study in patients with COPD (aged ≥40 years) using the same general practice database, we observed an average number of 3.0 chronic comorbid diseases³³