Table 2. COPD patient and exacerbation characteristics among patients having a viral or non-viral exacerbation.
| qPCR target virus | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| detected | not detected | ||
| n = 23 | n = 65 | P* | |
| Patient characteristics | |||
| Sex, % | 0.21 | ||
| Women | 34.5 | 65.5 | |
| Men | 22.0 | 78.0 | |
| smoking status, % | 0.53 | ||
| Ex-smoker | 23.4 | 76.6 | |
| Current-smoker | 29.3 | 70.7 | |
| GOLD stage (2007), % | 0.35 | ||
| II (FEV1 50–80%) | 26.3 | 73.7 | |
| III (FEV1 30–50%) | 30.8 | 69.2 | |
| IV (FEV1 < 30%) | 9.1 | 90.9 | |
| Frequent exacerbator, % | 0.72 | ||
| No | 25.0 | 75.0 | |
| Yes | 28.6 | 71.4 | |
| Using inhalation steroids, % | 0.55 | ||
| No | 20.0 | 80.0 | |
| Yes | 27.4 | 72.6 | |
| Age, mean yrs | 63.7 | 64.9 | 0.10 |
| BMI, mean kg/m2 | 27.0 | 25.9 | 0.92 |
| FEV1 in % predicted | 49.3 | 47.5 | 0.48 |
| Exacerbation characteristics | |||
| Exacerbation severity for entire exacerbation | 0.75 | ||
| Mild (not requiring AB or oral steroids or hospitalization) | 14.3 | 85.7 | |
| Moderate (requiring AB or oral steroids) | 26.9 | 73.1 | |
| Severe (Emergency room or hospital admission) | 28.6 | 71.4 | |
| Self-reported exacerbation severity at time of study sampling | 0.64 | ||
| Dyspnea unchanged or increased on errands outside home | 36.4 | 63.6 | |
| Increased dyspnea doing housework | 26.5 | 73.5 | |
| Increased dyspnea at rest | 28.6 | 71.4 | |
| Must sit up at night due to dyspnea | 14.3 | 85.7 | |
| CRP (ng/mL) at time of study sampling† | 32.5 | 34.2 | 0.27 |
*Pearson’s chi square test for categorical variables and t-test for continuous variables
† missing data for 4 (1 virus positive, 3 virus negative) exacerbations