title: [Methodology and clinical impact of studies of mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].
abstract: In the last few years, a large number of studies on mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been published. All these studies aim to provide knowledge with the ultimate aim of reducing the increasing number of deaths. However, these studies also introduce subtle methodological factors that should be known to correctly interpret the data. The present study aims to review and update the information provided by studies of mortality in COPD by evaluating their possible clinical impact and reviewing some methodological features that, to a greater or lesser extent, influence their interpretation. In particular, studies on the specific cause of death, those analyzing prognostic factors and, lastly, those on pharmacological interventions are reviewed, with special attention paid to the controversy aroused by the publication of the most recent clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Neumología, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital General, Requena, Valencia, España. jjsoler@telefonica.net
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Soler-Cataluña
authors.forename: Miguel Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martínez García
mesh_terms: D002423:Cause of Death; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015340:Epidemiologic Research Design; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*