Table 3.
Characteristics of Exacerbations During the Christmas Period (December 1-January 17), the Rest of Winter (January 18-April 30), and the Rest of the Year
| Characteristics of COPD Exacerbations | Christmas Period (n = 2) | Rest of Winter (n = 2) | Rest of Year (n = 1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total participant-y in study period | 16.2 | 34.8 | 28.7 |
| Exacerbations, No. | 53 | 88 | 51 |
| Exacerbations/participant-year, No. | 3.3 | 2.5 | 1.8 |
| Exacerbations by Anthonisen type | |||
| 3 | 9 (17) | 14 (16) | 10 (20) |
| 2 | 14 (26) | 28 (32) | 15 (29) |
| 1a | 30 (57) | 45 (51) | 26 (51) |
| Total | 53 | 87 | 51 |
| Exacerbations by GOLD category | |||
| I and II | 29 (55) | 39 (44) | 21 (41) |
| III and IV | 24 (45) | 49 (56) | 30 (59) |
| Exacerbations requiring help from any health-care professional | 30 (57) | 52 (60) | 38 (78) |
| Exacerbations requiring visit to respiratory specialist | 7 (13) | 19 (22) | 14 (29) |
| Exacerbations requiring physician visit | 17 (32) | 25 (29) | 13 (27) |
| Exacerbations requiring ED treatment | 5 (9) | 8 (9) | 9 (18) |
| Exacerbations requiring hospitalization | 3 (6) | 5 (6) | 5 (10) |
| Exacerbation length,b median (range), d | 10.5 (1–74) | 9 (1–73) | 12.5 (2–120) |
| Exacerbation length, virus positive, median (range), d | 12 (4–63) | 16.5 (1–73) | 13.5 (2–42) |
| Exacerbation length, virus negative, median (range), d | 9 (1–74) | 7 (2–52) | 10.5 (2–120) |
| Exacerbations with prednisone prescription | 16 (30) | 25 (28) | 22 (43) |
| Exacerbations with antibiotic prescription | 31 (58) | 66 (75) | 38 (75) |
| Exacerbations with virus detection | 25 (47) | 28 (32) | 25 (49) |
Data are given as No. (%) unless otherwise indicated. See Table 1 legend for expansion of abbreviations.
a
Most severe.
b
Data for 173 exacerbations; in 16 there was no return to normal breathing by study end, and in two the patients died.