title: ["EXACO": four year follow-up of exacerbations in a cohort of patients with COPD].
abstract: EXACO is a French prospective observational epidemiological study. Chest physicians will enrol 1200 patients who will be followed up for 4 years. The aims of the study are to describe the exacerbations in COPD patients at different levels of severity and to confirm the existence of a sub-group of patients defined as frequent exacerbators. The clinical characteristics associated with this profile and the decline of FEV1 will be evaluated. A validation of the VSRQ scale will be performed. The data will be collected from chest physicians and by phone calls to the patients every three months.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tillie-Leblond
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Masure
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index