Table 2.
Characteristics of the Different Patient Cohorts: Non-Exacerbators and Exacerbators (n = 90)
| Demographics | COPD Patients | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Exacerbators (n = 10) | Exacerbators Steroids + Antibiotics (n = 62) | Exacerbators Nebulised Bronchodilators+ Steroids + Antibiotics (n = 14) | Exacerbators Steroids + Antibiotics Attended Hospital (n = 4) | |
| Age, ayears | 69 ± 8 | 68 ± 16 | 69 ± 8 | 69 ± 8 |
| Gender, Male (Female) | 5 (5) | 31, (31) | 5, (9) | 4, (0) |
| Duration of COPD, ayears | 8 ± 7 | 8 ± 6 | 14 ± 8 | 14 ± 11 |
| MRC Score, bn | 3.0, 0.75 | 3.0, 2.0 | 3.0, 2.0 | 4.0, 0.5 |
| Exacerbations in previous 1 year, an | 2.5 ± 1.0 | 4.3 ± 2.4 | 3.9 ± 2.1 | 3.8 ± 2.4 |
| Exacerbations in the study, an | 0 | 1.4 ± 0.6 | 1.7 ± 0.8 | 2.0 ± 0.0 |
| Smoking Status, Current, (Ex) | 2, (8) | 6, (56) | 2, (12) | 3, (1) |
| Co-morbidities | ||||
| None | 2 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| Cardiovascular | 4 | 24 | 8 | 2 |
| Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus | 0 | 11 | 2 | 1 |
| Other | 6 | 5 | 9 | 4 |
| COPD Medications | ||||
| β2 Agonists, Short Acting, (Long Acting) | 10, (7) | 60, (55) | 14, (13) | 4, (4) |
| Anticholinergic, Short Acting, (Long Acting) | 2, (7) | 4, (45) | 0, (12) | 1, (3) |
| Inhaled Steroid | 5 | 56 | 13 | 4 |
| Oral Theophylline | 1 | 14 | 0 | 2 |
| Assessment Data | ||||
| Wellbeing Score, bn – Stable | 14, (6–19) | 16, (7–24) | 13, (8–28) | 19, (17–21) |
| Wellbeing Score, bn – Exacerbation | n/a | 20, (10–31) | 23, (15–31) | 25, (20–26) |
| FEV1, a(% predicted) – Stable | 54 ± 30 | 49 ± 19 | 42 ± 16 | 47 ± 14 |
| FEV1, a(% predicted) – Exacerbation | n/a | 46 ± 19 | 38 ± 15 | 30 ± 6 |
| Blood CRP b(mg/L) – Stable | 3.0, (1.8–10.0) | 3.6, (1.5–30.0) | 4.0, (0.1–10.6) | 2.2, (1.0–21.0) |
| Blood CRP b(mg/L) – Exacerbation | n/a | 5.4, (0.2–55.9) | 13.5, (1.7–64.0) | 12.4, (2.0–21.0) |
Note: Data presented as aMean ± standard deviation and bMedian, interquartile range.
Abbreviations: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; n, number; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; BMI, body mass index; kg, kilogram; m, meter; MRC, medical research council; AECOPD, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CRP, c-reactive protein.